Some may say that Hip Hop and basketball have shared a link for decades. That bond got stronger this year as Rapper/entrepreneur Ice Cube took to the sports world. Best known for his lyrics and movie production, Cube took his affinity for the game and put his own spin on it.

Cube, 48, born O'Shea Jackson, is responsible for the inception of a basketball league called the BIG3 that kicked off Sunday at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.

READ: LeBron James Pays Tribute To Prodigy In Video Addressing Late Mobb Deep Rapper's Death

This brand of basketball is different than the one to which NBA fans are accustomed. The BIG3 carries eight teams and is set to tour 10 cities across the country. Unlike the NBA, BIG3 is an untimed game of half-court three-on-three basketball and the first team to score 60 points wins. The league also has a 4-point shot, which is about 30 feet away from the basket. The BIG3 employs a more physical game that allows hand-checking, something the NBA eliminated.

With the XFL in mind, Cube wanted to make sure that the startup had a chance at success.

"I watched the XFL ‘30 for 30’ four times, and I’m like, ‘What were the mistakes in the past that we could avoid?' " Cube told The New York Post. "I think what stands our league apart over most startup leagues is the fact that our players are already superstars. You don’t have to build these guys into household names. I think that gives us an advantage over all the other leagues that try to start with players you don’t know, and trying to make them a household name."

READ: LaVar Ball Told Son LiAngelo Ball He Doesn't Think He'll Make It To The NBA

The BIG3 showcases retired NBA basketball players who apparently still have enough left in the tank to compete. Among the players who made their debut were: Allen Iverson, Jason Williams, Charles Oakley, Mike Bibby, Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O’Neal and Rashard Lewis. NBA Hall of Famers like Julius Erving, George Gervin, Gary Payton, Rick Barry and Clyde Drexler will coach the players during the season.

"I thought: There’s got to be a place for players that can still play, still got skills, but can’t probably handle the NBA schedule, and the wear and tear from all of the running," Cube said. "When Kenyon Martin signed, I knew we had something that would be attractive to pros who still wanted to play."

He added:" There were some skeptical players, but I think that when they looked at how innovative it is and how player-friendly it is — no owners — it just felt right, and it felt like something they could do."

Players of the league will make a $100,000 salary and see 52 percent of the league’s revenues. FOX Sports 1 will air BIG3 games.

RELATED STORIES
NBA Basketball