The three-on-three league, founded by legendary rapper Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, expanded from eight to 12 teams for the 2019 campaign. The BIG3 also reduced its age requirement to 27, allowing for an influx of talented players like Royce White, Greg Oden and Larry Sanders.
The defending champion Power return their full roster, led by captain Corey Maggette, but four new BIG3 teams (Aliens, Bivouac, Enemies and Triplets) will be looking to make a splash this season. The road to back-to-back titles will be filled with challenges.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the BIG3’s 2019 season, including the schedule, full rosters, rules and how to watch games live.
BIG3 2019 basketball schedule
The BIG3 2019 regular season will begin Saturday, June 22 (8 p.m. ET on CBS and 10 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network). Here’s the full schedule for the 2019 season.
BIG3 2019 full rosters, list of players
The 12 BIG3 rosters are composed primarily of retired NBA players. Each team has six players and one head coach.
(*denotes captain, **denotes co-captain)
How to watch the BIG3 on TV, live stream
Over the course of the 11-week season, you can watch all BIG3 games on CBS and CBS Sports Network. BIG3 games will air live on Saturdays and Sundays.
BIG3 league rules
Games are played on a half court. Baskets count for two and three points, with the 3-point line at the same distance as in the NBA. There are also three 4-point zones marked by circles placed 30 feet from the basket. A player can score four points if his foot is touching any part of the circle. One zone is on the midline of the court; the other two are set up 40 degrees away from the midline. The “home” team is decided by a 4-point shootout. The winner inbounds the ball to start the game. The shot clock is 14 seconds. Foul shots are worth the number of points corresponding to where the foul occurred. Fouls on 2-pointers are taken from the standard free throw line, 3-point shots from the 3-point line, and 4-point shots from the middle 4-point circle. All fouls are team fouls, so individual players can’t foul out. After a team’s fifth foul of the half, opponents are awarded two one-point free throws and possession of the ball. A team’s first technical foul results in the opposing team receiving a two-point free throw and possession. Any additional technical fouls or flagrant fouls result in two two-point free throws and possession. The first team to score 50 or more points and lead by at least two points wins the game. Halftime occurs after one team reaches 25 points. Teams get two timeouts per half (one 60-second timeout, one 30-second timeout). Unused timeouts don’t carry over. Substitutions are made during timeouts or on a dead ball. A referee must touch the ball after each score. The defense then gets three seconds to set up. The opposing team must take the ball beyond the top out-of-bounds line, and a player for that team has five seconds to pass the ball inbounds. Change of possession on defensive rebounds requires teams to take the ball out beyond the 3-point line if the ball touches the rim on a shot attempt. The ball doesn’t have to be cleared on steals or if the ball doesn’t touch the rim. A defensive rebounder who clears the ball with a pass must leave the lane and re-establish himself before his team shoots; otherwise, it’s a turnover. The normal offensive three-second rule applies, but there is no defensive three-second rule. Instant replay can be used to determine 3- and 4-point shots, out-of-bounds calls, flagrant fouls, goaltending, basket interference and clearance. All defensive strategies are allowed, including hand-checking.
