BIG3 founder Ice Cube has addressed the reason why Lamar Odom was among the four prominent players who were deactivated by the league this week.
The BIG3 announced on Wednesday that Odom, Baron Davis, Jermaine O’Neal and Bonzi Wells had been deactivated. Davis hadn’t played in a game this season and made it sound like he had issues with the league. O’Neal and Wells hadn’t played in a game either, while Odom only had two points and four rebounds on the season.
A reporter for TMZ Sports caught up with Ice Cube at the airport and asked him about Odom being deactivated.
“You know, as a league we want players that are actually playing,” Ice Cube said. He also mentioned they can’t have guys who “can’t play” or have “health issues.”
Wells had a heart attack in 2017. O’Neal is on medication for an irregular heartbeat and hadn’t been cleared to play.
Jermaine O’Neal was unable to play in today’s game for The Big 3, because of a health issue. He has an irregular heartbeat and they haven’t cleared him to play. He’s on medication, and is hoping to be back soon.
Get well soon JO7.
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) June 23, 2019
TMZ says Odom was more in the “can’t play” category, which isn’t too surprising since he last played in the NBA six years ago and went through a near-death health experience.
