Entertainment mogul Ice Cube, co-founder of the Big3 basketball league, confirmed that Caitlin Clark was offered $5 million to participate in the league during the WNBA’s offseason.

The offer was first reported by TMZ on Wednesday on social media and confirmed by Ice Cube in a series of posts on X, formerly know as Twitter, shortly after. 

“We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the [NCAA] championship,” Ice Cube said in a following post. “But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: Big3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the Big3.”

We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship. But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic
offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3. https://t.co/cwzHh7EVau

— Ice Cube (@icecube) March 27, 2024

Ice Cube emphasized the ability to give America’s female athletes another professional basketball option in the U.S. instead of playing overseas, which many WNBA players do in the offseason to supplement their salaries. Now — as the average WNBA salary according to Yahoo Sports is just over $100,000 — Clark has the ability to make a living through basketball while staying within the U.S. year-round. 

The Big3 is a 12- week, 3-on-3 summer basketball league that has three-player lineups and five-player rosters. The league is home to many former all-stars, Hall-of-Famers, and world champions in both the NBA and WNBA. 

Former WNBA player and NBA coach Nancy Lieberman was named the first female coach of the Big3 and won the championship in her first year. Then former WNBA player and Hall-of-Famer Lisa Leslie was the first woman to play in the men’s league and won it all in her second year. 

“The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men’s pro team, and she won the championship in her first year,” Ice Cube said. “Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.”

Clark is expected to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever but is currently anticipating a Sweet 16 matchup with Colorado in this year’s NCAA Tournament.