Russell Westbrook formally announced that he is walking away from the game for good. However, Ice Cube would like to give him another shot to play in Big3.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, the renowned American hip-hop artist made a strong pitch to recruit the former NBA superstar to his 3-on-3 basketball league.
"We'll give him a week," Ice Cube said. "People want to see him play, regardless. If he plays in the NBA or not, people want to see him play. He still has millions of fans who would love to see him come out and play in the BIG3.
"Not only him, but a lot of players that are superstars out here in the world of basketball. Why not give the fans what they want? It's a league where you're around your peers, you're around greatness, being a part of the BIG3. It's fun. Why not keep it going?"
Will Russell Westbrook play for Big3?
On Wednesday, Russell Westbrook shared on his social media accounts that he is retiring from professional basketball after 18 remarkable years in the NBA.
His decision to call it quits came as a surprise, as reports suggested that the Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards, his two former teams, have reached out with contract offers.
Westbrook entered the 2026 NBA offseason as an unrestricted free agent. As such, he remained productive in his eventual final NBA season, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds in 64 appearances for Sacramento.
Since its founding in 2017, Ice Cube’s Big3 has positioned itself explicitly as a competitive haven and second-chance platform for retired NBA players and legendary superstars.
Iconic NBA stars like Allen Iverson, Chauncey Billups, Joe Johnson, Amar'e Stoudemire, DeMarcus Cousins, and Dwight Howard have played for the league, with many like Gary Payton, Julius Erving, and Michael Cooper serving as head coaches.