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BIG3 and Prostate Cancer Foundation Unite to Advance “Check the Box! Saving Lives Together” Initiative

– The professional 3-on-3 basketball league co-founded by Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz joins the Prostate Cancer Foundation — which has invested more than $1 billion in prostate cancer research — in a growing movement asking every man to make three life-saving plays: Talk to your doctor. Take a blood test. Learn your score. –

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and the BIG3, the professional 3-on-3 basketball league co-founded by Ice Cube, today announced a new partnership to advance PCF’s “Check the Box! Saving Lives Together” initiative — a nationwide campaign encouraging every man, particularly Black men, gets screened for prostate cancer with a simple PSA blood test.

Prostate cancer is diagnosed at a rate of roughly one new case every 90 seconds in the United States — and claims a life about every 14.5 minutes. The stakes are especially high for Black men, who face a nearly 70% greater risk of developing prostate cancer and are nearly twice as likely to die from the disease compared to other men. Yet when prostate cancer is caught early, it has a 98% cure rate. The difference between those outcomes is often a single conversation with a doctor and one simple blood test.

The BIG3 — The biggest 3-on-3 league in the United States, featuring some of the most celebrated names in basketball history — brings “Check the Box!” directly to the men who need to hear it most. With a fanbase that skews heavily toward Black men over 40, the precise population at highest risk, the BIG3 is uniquely positioned to turn courtside moments into life-saving ones.

“In this game — and in this community — we protect each other,” said Ice Cube, co-founder of the BIG3. “The BIG3 is 3-on-3 basketball — three players, one goal: win. ‘Check the Box!’ works the same way. Three steps, one goal: save your life. Talk to your doctor. Take the blood test. Learn your score. That’s it. That’s the play. Make it.”

Building on the momentum of “Check the Box!” partnerships with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Legends of Basketball / National Basketball Retired Players Association, this collaboration deepens PCF’s commitment to reaching men through the sport and the culture they love with voices they trust.

“This partnership is about turning the power of community into the power to save lives,” said Gina Carithers, President and CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “The BIG3 reaches men in a space built on trust, pride, and connection—and that’s exactly where change begins. ‘Check the Box!’ is a simple, life-saving play: talk to your doctor, take a PSA test, and know your score. Don’t wait—make the appointment, have the conversation, and take control of your health today. Together, we can inspire men—especially those at highest risk—to act now, protect their future, and be there for the people who count on them.”

Throughout the BIG3 season – a 10 week national tour taking the league to cities including Houston, Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles and more – “Check the Box!” will come to life in arenas across the country through PSAs featuring BIG3 Commissioner Clyde Drexler and other basketball legends. The message is as simple as the sport itself: three players, one goal. Check the Box works the same way — three steps, one goal, one life. Talk to your doctor. Take a simple blood test. Learn your PSA score. Fans attending BIG3 games will also have the opportunity to get screened on-site at free prostate cancer screening booths — bringing early detection directly to the communities where it matters most.

“Getting tested isn’t just about you – it’s about your family and your future,” said Nancy Lieberman, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and Coach of Dallas Power. “Early detection saves lives. Through the BIG3 basketball league and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, we’re urging men to take control and get screened.”

About Check the Box! Saving Lives Together

“Check the Box! Saving Lives Together” is a multi-year initiative of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, uniting basketball’s most iconic institutions, players, and leaders to normalize conversations about prostate health and drive early detection — particularly among African American men and men over 40. The initiative launched at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in January 2026 and has since grown to include the Legends of Basketball / NBRPA and now the BIG3. To learn more or to find screening resources near you, visit pcf.org.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has raised more than $1 billion to fund cutting-edge research through more than 2,615 research projects at 312 leading cancer centers, with a global footprint spanning 29 countries. Since PCF’s inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to the mission of ending death and suffering from this disease. Learn more at pcf.org.

About the BIG3

The BIG3 is a professional 3-on-3 basketball league co-founded by Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. Featuring the best 3-on-3 basketball players in the world, the BIG3 airs on CBS and CBS Sports Network and plays to fans in cities across the United States each season. For more information, visit BIG3.com.