Caitlin Clark had a $5 million offer on the table-but she walked away.
The Indiana Fever rookie and former Iowa standout turned down a bold proposal from Ice Cube to join his Big3 professional league, opting instead to fully commit to her WNBA career.
The rapper and Big3 co-founder revealed that the offer, designed to give Clark her “Billie Jean King” moment by breaking new ground in three-on-three basketball, never even made it directly to her.
“We offered her $5 million,” Ice Cube told Athlon Sports.
“Her agents kind of snuffed it out. We never got to talk directly to her or her family.”
While the Big3 offer wouldn’t have prevented Clark from playing in the WNBA, it would have made her the first female player in the league’s history and the highest-paid athlete in Big3 history.
The goal, according to Ice Cube, wasn’t just to sign a star.
“We thought she could break a barrier,” he said. “It wasn’t a marketing stunt.”
Clark’s choice: culture shift over cash grab
Despite the multimillion-dollar offer, Clark instead declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft, where she was selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever. She signed a rookie contract worth just under $80,000 a year-a stark contrast to what Big3 was offering.
But Clark has never relied solely on her salary. Even before going pro, she had become one of the most valuable NIL athletes in college sports.
Since joining the WNBA, she’s only amplified her reach-inking major endorsement deals, including a reported $28 million Nike contract, and driving record-breaking television ratings and ticket sales wherever the Fever play.
Clark‘s influence is undeniable. In her rookie year, she led the Fever to the playoffs, shattered records, and earned her second WNBA All-Star selection, even while battling injuries in 2025.
Though she missed the All-Star Game due to injury, she remained a visible leader on the sidelines and thanked fans for the sold-out weekend in Indianapolis. “Grateful to call this city home,” she wrote on social media. “The energy was incredible.”
Meanwhile, Ice Cube‘s pursuit of Clark shines a spotlight on the growing opportunities-and growing pains-in women’s basketball.
His offer was part of a broader effort to position the Big3 as a progressive space for elite talent, including women. He insisted the move wasn’t for attention, but to create a cultural shift akin to Billie Jean King‘s fight for gender equality in tennis.
While some critics dismissed the offer as gimmicky, Ice Cube has stood firm, claiming, “We’re owning the culture in basketball right now.” He believes opportunities like this will continue to emerge as fans-and athletes-demand more from the sports industry.
For Clark, however, the decision to join the WNBA wasn’t just about money or exposure. It was about legacy, leadership, and belief in what women’s basketball could become. She’s chosen to build the game from the inside-on her terms.
And for now, that choice looks like the smartest move of all.
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