The BIG3, a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by music and entertainment icon Ice Cube, is facing fierce criticism after firing sideline reporter Rachel DeMita for tweeting a highlight of Caitlin Clark during a live WNBA broadcast. What seemed like a routine post celebrating an extraordinary sports moment has erupted into a public relations disaster, sparking debate over media freedom, double standards, and the future of women in sports broadcasting.
DeMita, a prominent figure in basketball media who rose to fame through NBA 2K and later built a strong personal brand across social media, had been working with the BIG3 for about a year. Known for injecting youthful energy and digital engagement into the league’s coverage, DeMita became a recognizable face courtside. But that partnership ended abruptly when she tweeted a video clip of Caitlin Clark draining a logo three-pointer during her return from injury against the New York Liberty—a WNBA game airing at the same time as the BIG3’s own broadcast.
The tweet, which read “For those who questioned the hype,” was shared during her shift working the BIG3 game. For that, she was fired.
According to DeMita, her team received an email from the BIG3 late Tuesday night—at 11 p.m.—informing her that she had been terminated. The reason, according to the email, was a “severe lapse in judgment” for promoting a “competing” league’s content during a BIG3 broadcast. The league accused her of undermining its interests by engaging on social media about another basketball event, despite her role being centered on digital engagement.
“I was shocked,” DeMita said in a calm, self-recorded video posted afterward. “I wasn’t under contract yet. My team was still finalizing terms with the BIG3. I was working in good faith.”
DeMita went on to clarify that she posted a total of three tweets during the day, including a selfie tagging the BIG3 and CBS Sports, the Clark highlight tweet, and a retweet of Nike Basketball. None of her posts criticized the BIG3 or promoted the WNBA game in any overt way. She simply, like millions of basketball fans that night, acknowledged a special moment from one of the sport’s rising stars.
The response to her firing was swift and overwhelmingly negative.
On social media, fans and sports analysts tore into the BIG3’s decision. Many highlighted the absurdity of firing a media personality for doing exactly what she was hired to do—engage fans online. Some noted the double standard, pointing to examples like ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith allegedly playing Solitaire during the NBA Finals with no consequences.
“If Stephen A. can play games during the Finals and keep his job, why is Rachel losing hers for a tweet?” one viral post asked.
Others pointed out how the BIG3’s own history makes the decision even more ironic. Last year, the league made headlines for offering Caitlin Clark a reported $10 million deal to play in their league—complete with partial ownership, merchandising rights, and a documentary. Clark declined, choosing instead to focus on her WNBA career and national team opportunities. Since then, she’s become arguably the most important figure in American women’s sports.
“Firing someone for acknowledging Clark’s greatness makes the BIG3 look petty and insecure,” wrote one columnist. “They’re punishing her for celebrating basketball. It’s nonsensical.”
From a business perspective, critics say the decision was self-destructive. DeMita has over a million combined followers across platforms, providing valuable organic reach. Her dismissal now frames the BIG3 as an overly controlling brand with an outdated understanding of digital media—particularly damaging for a league seeking legitimacy and growth during the NBA offseason.
And then there’s the cultural element. Caitlin Clark’s popularity is no small matter. Her return game drew millions of viewers and ranked among the most-watched WNBA broadcasts in history. The shot DeMita posted—a deep logo-range three-pointer—was a viral moment seen around the world.
In firing DeMita over that tweet, the BIG3 appears to be fighting a battle not only against an employee but against the rising tide of women’s basketball itself.
Adding further embarrassment, the league hasn’t publicly commented. When pressed by media outlets, BIG3 representatives responded with the stock phrase: “We do not comment on personnel matters.” That silence has only fueled the controversy.
DeMita, for her part, handled the situation with professionalism. She released a composed video explaining the events without attacking the league, even going so far as to say she wished there had been a conversation first. She said she bears no ill will and hopes the league continues to grow.
That level of grace has only sharpened the contrast between her response and the BIG3’s handling of the situation. Critics say the league’s leadership showed poor judgment and a fundamental misunderstanding of the modern media landscape, where sports fans follow stories across multiple leagues and platforms in real time.
What’s more, DeMita wasn’t even officially contracted at the time. Her agent was still negotiating the terms of her next deal when she was dismissed. That reality raises unsettling questions about the vulnerability of freelancers in sports media—where a single tweet, even one meant to celebrate the sport, can end a working relationship overnight.
“Every freelancer just took notice,” one sports media insider posted. “This is the environment we’re operating in now—silence your genuine excitement for the game or risk your paycheck.”
In the end, Rachel DeMita will likely land on her feet. She has the talent, platform, and support of a large, vocal community. But the BIG3 may not recover as easily. The league, already struggling to gain traction in a competitive market, now finds itself branded as hypersensitive, shortsighted, and hostile to the very voices that can help elevate it.
One tweet. One moment. One big mistake.
And one league learning that in the age of social media, there’s no hiding from a bad decision.
