BLOWN WHISTLE: Reporter Ousted from Big3 After Caitlin Clark Tweet Sparks Firestorm
In a plot twist juicier than a buzzer-beater upset, Rachel DeMita — the digital darling of basketball media — has been unceremoniously benched by the Big3, and the catalyst may just be none other than women’s hoops icon Caitlin Clark.
The former collegiate baller-turned-sports influencer joined Ice Cube’s 3-on-3 juggernaut in June 2024 as a courtside correspondent. Her job? Infuse the league with a blast of online energy — bringing sideline interviews, locker-room peeks, and viral-worthy behind-the-scenes footage into fans’ feeds. But just weeks into her tenure, DeMita’s mic has been snatched, her camera silenced — and it all may have hinged on a single tweet.
During a Big3 broadcast last Saturday, DeMita — while still on the job — dared to post a highlight of Caitlin Clark. No commentary. No critique. Just an acknowledgment of a generational talent doing generational things. But apparently, in the eyes of the Big3 brass, that tweet crossed an invisible line — one scrawled in the lingering shadow of a $10 million dream that never came true.
Let’s rewind.
Back in the spring, the Big3 went full throttle in its chase for Caitlin Clark. League co-founder and Ice Cube’s right-hand man, Jeff Kwatinetz, made headlines by offering Clark an eye-popping, history-making deal: two years, ten million dollars, a slice of team ownership, a cut of all Clark-branded merch, a front-row seat to her own documentary, and even Hall of Fame legend Nancy Lieberman as her personal coach. It was bold. It was flashy. It was unprecedented.
It was also rejected.
Clark, ever the focused competitor, chose to ride the traditional path — suiting up for the WNBA and possibly Team USA in the Paris Olympics. The Big3 was left empty-handed, nursing a very public “no” from the most electrifying name in basketball.
Fast-forward to last week. DeMita, with her millions of followers and slick social presence, shares a simple nod to Clark — and boom. Her time with the Big3 ends just as suddenly as it began.
Officially, the league won’t talk. They declined to comment to Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel. But sources close to the situation say the tweet was “the final straw,” implying that perhaps friction had been brewing behind the scenes. Whether DeMita’s rising star clashed with the league’s old-school instincts or whether the mere mention of Caitlin Clark reopened still-healing wounds, one thing is clear: the Big3 didn’t take kindly to their employee hyping a player who famously ghosted their billion-dollar dreams.
DeMita, for her part, had envisioned her Big3 role as something more evolved than your typical sideline reporter. She described it to Fox News Digital as a hybrid gig — not just asking postgame questions, but crafting digital gold, giving fans a front-row seat to the league’s culture, personalities, and off-court rhythms. She was there to modernize the brand, to make the Big3 more than just a retirement home for NBA legends. She was the bridge between TikTok and the hardwood.
But that bridge is gone.
Now the Big3 has not only failed to lure Caitlin Clark into their orbit — despite dangling money, power, and stardom — but also pushed out one of the few media voices capable of turning their product into a social phenomenon.
It’s a lose-lose situation painted in viral shades.
And while DeMita hasn’t publicly torched the league (yet), her silence speaks volumes. For a creator as prolific and polished as she is, the absence of a dramatic farewell video or spicy postmortem podcast is telling.
As for the Big3, the league may want to reconsider how it handles its public image — especially when its actions appear to punish star-power engagement rather than reward it. When a sports league known for flair and freedom of expression draws the line at a tweet, fans can’t help but wonder: was this about professionalism — or pride?
In the end, Caitlin Clark is still launching logo threes in the WNBA, Rachel DeMita is likely fielding offers from every sports media company under the sun, and the Big3? They’re still playing catch-up, both on the court and off it.
Stay tuned. This drama might just be headed to a podcast studio near you.
