Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 22

BIG3 Suspends Stephenson, Beasley 1 Game Each as Ice Cube Apologizes for Opening-Week Brawl

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 22

BIG3 Suspends Stephenson, Beasley 1 Game Each as Ice Cube Apologizes for Opening-Week Brawl

Q: Why did Dwight Howard escape suspension when other brawlers were punished by the BIG3 league?

Dwight Howard appears to have avoided suspension because the BIG3 punished the players it determined escalated the fight, not everyone involved in the confrontation. The league publicly suspended Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley, the two Miami 305 players who were ejected during the opener. Stephenson was shown initiating the main melee by tackling Devin Ebanks, briefly putting him in a headlock, and then swinging at Jordan Crawford. Beasley was also ejected after his separate clash with Howard. Those ejections mattered because Miami 305 was left with only two available players and had to forfeit. By contrast, the available reports do not say Howard was ejected, threw a punch, or was cited by the league for conduct warranting discipline. The additional reporting describes Howard as being in a “scuffle” with Beasley, including a moment in which he appeared to press a forearm into Beasley’s face, but there is no indication the BIG3 judged that action at the same level as the conduct by Stephenson and Beasley. So the practical answer is that the BIG3 drew a distinction between being involved in a confrontation and committing the acts it chose to suspend—namely the behavior tied to the ejections and fighting. The league has not provided a more detailed public explanation beyond announcing the one-game bans for Stephenson and Beasley.

Q: Is the BIG3's 'tough' brand encouraging on-court fights rather than just physical basketball?

Not intentionally, but the BIG3’s brand does create conditions where fights can become more likely. The league openly markets itself as tougher, more physical and more verbal than traditional pro basketball. Its three-on-three format, older former NBA players, half-court setting and emphasis on one-on-one pride all raise the temperature. Players and league messaging have leaned into “trash talk,” “streetball energy” and extra contact. That can blur the line between hard play and loss of control. But the available evidence does not show the league wants fights. After Lance Stephenson’s altercation with Devin Ebanks and Jordan Crawford, and Michael Beasley’s separate scuffle with Dwight Howard, the BIG3 responded by ejecting players, issuing one-game suspensions and publicly apologizing. Commissioner Clyde Drexler said the league embraces physical play and verbal exchanges, but “fighting of any kind will not be tolerated,” citing player safety and the integrity of the game. Ice Cube also made clear the opener was not what the league wanted to showcase. So the stronger reading is that the BIG3 promotes physical basketball and confrontation as entertainment, but not outright violence. The risk is that its “tough” identity narrows the margin for error: when a league sells intensity, some players may push past the boundary. The Stephenson incident suggests the brand can contribute to escalation, even if league policy clearly rejects fighting.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 22

BIG3 handed Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley one-game suspensions after a fight in Miami 305's opening-week loss to LA Riot, with the penalties staggered so the team can still meet minimum roster rules.
Stephenson triggered the brawl by tackling Devin Ebanks on a drive, briefly putting him in a headlock and then swinging at Jordan Crawford; Beasley was separately involved in an altercation with Dwight Howard.
Miami 305 forfeited after the ejections left it with only two available players, turning the league's opening weekend into a disciplinary issue.
Clyde Drexler said BIG3 welcomes physical play and trash talk but will not tolerate fighting, framing the suspensions as necessary to protect safety and the game's integrity.
Ice Cube apologized on X to viewers who watched the game on CBS, saying the league had wanted to deliver a great basketball game and 'that wasn't it.'