When the BIG3 decided to become a location-based basketball league, one of the cities granted a franchise was Detroit, and the city is getting ready for the debut game taking place July 20 at Little Caesars Arena.
GameAbove Sports owns and operates the Detroit franchise and has named the team the Amplifiers. The roster will be announced after the BIG3 Combine and Draft, which takes place May 15, 2025.
NBA Hall of Famer, George “The Iceman” Gervin, has been brought on as the head coach of the team, and gave a statement regarding the city’s excitement for having a team in the 3-on-3 league.
“We’ve been building toward this moment for years, and now Detroit finally has its BIG3 team,” said George “The Iceman” Gervin, Head Coach of the Detroit Amplifiers and NBA Hall of Famer. “This city lives and breathes basketball. The Amplifiers will represent Detroit with pride and give fans an exciting summer.”
Click on Detroit spoke to co-founder, Ice Cube, and discussed the league’s choice of the Michigan city.
“It was a no-brainer for us,” Ice Cube said. “The stands are always full. People love to go out, look good, dress good, and have a good time.”
The former N.W.A. member also gave advice on how to be successful as a player in the league as it enters its eighth season.
“You’ve got to have an all-around game or you’re not going to be successful. You’re going to get cooked out there. You get to see everybody pull out every trick to get a bucket.”
The Detroit Pistons were a tough team years ago when they were labeled the “Bad Boys” of the NBA with the likes of Dennis Rodman, Isiah Thomas, and Bill Laimbeer, and he seemingly expects the same of the Amplifiers. The recent team was just defeated by the New York Knicks, but he still points to the way they play the sport in Detroit.
“They all have grit, and that’s what you need. You’ve got to have a chip on your shoulder. It seems like it’s back to Detroit Basketball.”
Other cities that will host teams this season include Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami.
