Five things to know about the Big3 ahead of Memphis showcase
Basketball is back at FedExForum, but it’s not summer league action or the Memphis Tigers.
Instead, it’s the Big3 — the 3-on-3 league that rapper Ice Cube started in 2017. The league is in its sixth season, and the “Summer of Fire” is making its way to Bluff City.
Here are five things to know about the Big3 ahead of Saturday’s showcase.
The Return of Tony Allen to Memphis
On July 5, Cube announced that fan favorite Tony Allen was signing with 3’s Company. Allen, whose tenacity on defense bestowed on him the nickname “The Grindfather,” was a significant player in the “Grit-and-Grind” Grizzlies era that also featured Zach Randolph and Mike Conley Jr.
While Randolph and Conley led the offense, Allen gained the reputation as one of the league’s toughest defenders. NBA legend Kobe Bryant was even quoted saying that Allen was the toughest defender he faced.
Though Allen never won a Defensive Player of the Year award, the infamous clip of Allen lying on the court after a stop in the 2015 Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors demonstrated his pride on playing defense.
Allen made his Big3 debut July 9 in Brooklyn, where he finished with four points, five rebounds and one steal.
It will be his first public appearance in Memphis since pleading guilty to his part in a health care fraud scheme.
More: Tony Allen asks Memphis Grizzlies to postpone jersey retirement to 2022-23 season
Robert Dozier’s Season
Robert Dozier, who was part of the Memphis Tigers' run to the 2008 national championship game, is playing in his first season with the 3 Headed Monsters team in the Big3.
Dozier played overseas after college. His stops included Kolossos Rodou and PAOK of the Greek Basket League, Cajasol (Spain) and Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France).
He played three seasons with the Tigers and was the No. 60 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, but he signed with Kolossos Rodou instead.
3’s Company Roster
The roster of Allen’s team features some familiar names.
Mario Chalmers, whose performance for Kansas in the 2008 NCAA title game was a dagger to the Memphis Tigers, serves as captain. Michael Beasley and Brandon Rush are co-captains.
Chalmers and Rush are NBA champions -- Chalmers twice with the “Heatles,” the Miami Heat superteam that featured LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Rush was a member of the 2015 Golden State Warriors and a reliable role player.
Rules of the Game
The Big3 doesn’t run on four quarters for a game or have a time limit. Instead, a team needs to score 50 points and win by two. When a team reaches 25 points, that’s when halftime starts, as explained by the Sporting News.
How to Watch
Every Big3 game will be aired on CBS.
Reach sports writer Jerry Jiang at JJiang@gannett.com or on Twitter @j_jiang30
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Here are five things to know about the Big3 tournament in Memphis
