Ice Cube and the Big3 League have taken out a full-page ad in Tuesday’s edition of the New York Times, urging President Donald Trump to defend American athletes during his meeting today with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The message to Trump comes in the wake of Ice Cube’s and Big3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz‘ $1.2-billion lawsuit alleging that Qatari investors withheld funds in an attempt to muscle them out of the league.
Per Richard Morgan of the New York Post, the investors—who reportedly have ties to the royal family of Qatar—have only put up one-third of the expected $20.5 million commitment to the three-on-three basketball league. The lack of funding has allegedly hampered the organization’s ability to maximize its potential.
This very bizarre Ice cube – Qatar scandal keeps getting better and better.
Today’s NYT …..
https://t.co/gWJsvcMC56 pic.twitter.com/PN3I6pcoMQ— Yousef Al Naimi (@YousefAlNaimi) April 10, 2018
The ad from Tuesday includes a photo of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani shaking hands with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The ad also lists the names of several coaches and players before a note about the BIG3’s upcoming schedule and television broadcasts.
The ad is signed by Ice Cube, Jeff Kwatinetz, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler and the players and coaches of the BIG3.
The BIG3’s season starts on June 22 in Houston, Texas. Hopefully Trump does the right thing.
