1. Enemies (1-0):
The reigning BIG3 champions picked up where they left off from last season. After a slow start in Week 1, Enemies proved why their title run wasn’t a fluke. Jordan Crawford and Elijah Stewart still look like one of the most lethal tandems in the entire league. With the addition of Chris Allen, this looks like a team capable of beating anybody and making another trip to the championship game.
2. Ball Hogs (1-0):
Ball Hogs have progressively gotten better over the past couple seasons, but after their dominating performance in Week 1, this looks like their best team yet. The ball movement makes this team go alongside strong guard play from Leandro Barbosa and Jodie Meeks. Now, with Larry Sanders leading the squad defensively and the emergence of rookie Lucas Mariano, this looks like one of the most well-rounded teams in the BIG3.
3. Ghost Ballers (1-0):
Solid chemistry is vital to any team in this league, especially with only eight games in the regular season. With Ghost Ballers bringing back three of their players from a season ago, this team looked like a well-oiled machine in the season opener. Week 1 Player of the Week Mike Taylor looks like the MVP front-runner after the first week, and Chris Johnson excelled in a bigger role with the absence of Jonathon Simmons. Ghost Ballers looks poised to make another playoff run.
4. 3 Headed Monsters (1-0):
Talk about a total team effort. All five players for 3 Headed Monsters contributed to their victory with each player scoring at least eight points. Additionally, new head coach Rashard Lewis rolled out multiple lineups throughout the game, and every single one seemed to have meaningful stints. As newcomers like Jeff Teague and Greg Monroe continue to familiarize themselves with the Fireball3 style of play, it’s looking like the Monsters could be back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus.
5. Bivouac (1-0):
Gary Payton and company may have their best team to date. The additions of big men Jaylen Johnson and Javier Carter give the Ants a more complete team. Bivouac didn’t have the luxury of having a solid two-man game last season. Now, with Johnson and Carter’s abilities to pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop, it makes this team a lot more dynamic alongside the Green brothers and Corey Brewer.
6. 3’s Company (1-0):
3’s Company left victorious in a game they didn’t even get to 50 first behind a collective team effort. The trio of Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, and Reggie Evans already made this squad a super team, but rookies Nasir Core and Sean Williams fit in nicely alongside their captains. Week 1 might have only been a sample of this team’s full potential.
7. Triplets (0-1):
Felt like Groundhog’s Day for the Triplets after they dropped their first game of the season for the second year in a row. Despite the loss, three-time BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson didn’t miss a beat and showed why his team always has playoff potential if he’s in the mix. Depth may be a concern, but Jeremy Pargo also had a rare off night. Triplets didn’t get revenge, but it’s hard to think they’ll be winless for too much longer.
8. Killer 3’s (0-1):
Donte Greene went off but the team struggled to shoot from beyond the arc. That being said, this team has always been known for their scrappiness and hustle. That was evidenced by their ability to get multiple offensive boards and loose balls. The Bees are a well-connected, selfless group, and this loss probably doesn’t tell the whole story of where this team will finish amongst a competitive bunch in Season 7.
9. Power (0-1):
Power looked like a team still trying to get on the same page with a couple of their new additions – especially after TJ Cline left the game early with an injury. There were some noticeable pros and cons to this team after one week. Pros: The chemistry got better as the game went on, and Glen Rice Jr. still looks like one of the hardest guards to cover in the BIG3. Cons: They had trouble keeping their opponent off the glass and struggled with fouls. The 2018 champions look like a well constructed team though, so expect a bounce back performance next week.
10. Trilogy (0-1):
The three-time champions got Isaiah Briscoe back this season after playing just three games last year, but they have some work to do. Briscoe scored half of the team’s points, but the group as a whole was sound defensively. It took some time for newcomers Cady Lalanne and Roscoe Smith to get acclimated to certain nuances of the BIG3, and it didn’t help that the team ran four deep with James White filling in for Stephen Jackson this past week. Hopefully, they left Week 1 adjusted to the rules and Earl Clark avoids another poor shooting performance.
11. Tri-State (0-1):
Jason Richardson mentioned on the broadcast it was time to make some changes after missing the playoffs the last four seasons. After Week 1, it seems like this team is still a work in progress. Despite adding 2022 BIG3 MVP Kevin Murphy and two-time champion Amir Johnson, Tri-State left Week 1 as the only team that scored under 40 points. Richardson and Murphy both shot under 30 percent, and chemistry is a major concern. With a short season, Dr. J’s team will need to figure out quickly if they want to make it back to postseason play in 2024.
12. Aliens (0-1):
Things were looking up for the revamped Aliens until Paul Millsap left the game late with an injury. Paul left the game after scoring 21 of the 46 points, so the biggest question mark moving forward will be around who can pick up the scoring load. The rest of the team seemed to settle into the BIG3 style of play throughout the game, but it was tough sledding to lose their captain after just one week. Especially, for a team that started 0-5 last year.