Rumors

Oaktree Solutions, a New York-based public affairs firm, has hired entrepreneur Roger Mason Jr. to help lead its recently launched sports and entertainment division. Mason, who played in the NBA for 11 years, will serve as managing director for global talent.

Sportico

Among the players on the call Friday: Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon, Portland’s CJ McCollum, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Indiana’s Justin Holiday, San Antonio’s Rudy, Brooklyn’s Spencer Dinwiddie, Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes, Orlando’s Al-Farouq Aminu, Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley Jr., Portland’s Zach Collins and Indiana’s Myles Turner. Former NBA player and NBPA executive Roger Mason Jr. was also on the call, sources said.

The Athletic

Ian Begley: For those interested: former Knick Roger Mason has launched an athlete and entertainer IP development company, Vaunt. The company will have an event tonight in Miami to kickoff Super Bowl weekend.

Twitter

Marc J. Spears: Joint Statement from Big3 and Roger Mason Regarding Lawsuit Settlement. pic.twitter.com/YfkiQVknsl

Twitter

Through a helpful youth coach, Paddy Hibbert, Roy’s mother, found a number for Marsha Mason Wonsley, whose son, Roger Mason Jr., played for the Washington Wizards. Wonsley told her about an organization called Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, or MPBP. An upcoming meeting was to be held in Las Vegas. Hibbert flew out from Washington, D.C., to seek advice. As the mothers introduced themselves one by one, Hibbert stood nervously. “I’m Roy’s mom,” she told the hundred-odd women who had assembled. “Little Roy. He’s 7 feet tall.”

The Atlantic

Jeff Kwatinetz — the Hollywood agent who started Big3 with legendary rapper Ice Cube — has an “insensitivity to matters of concern to people of color and immigrants,” Roger Mason Jr., a former NBA star who was recently ousted as Big3’s commissioner, alleged in the suit, which was filed Monday.

New York Post

Mason, who last month accused Kwatinetz of calling the league’s players “rich n—-rs,” adds in the suit that Kwatinetz’s insensitivity “is evidenced by his repeated discussions with company employees of his relationship with Steve Bannon and his defense of Bannon’s character.”

New York Post

Mason, an 11-year NBA veteran who says he recruited big-name players to Big3, including Allen Iverson and Charles Oakley, blames his ouster on “a phony ‘independent investigation’ ” into alleged conflicts of interest with league investors — “a sham effort to make Mason a scapegoat for issues at the company caused by Kwatinetz,” according to the suit filed in Delaware Chancery Court.

New York Post

BIG3 says Mason has a personal relationship with the investors -- that he may have taken gifts from them -- and he essentially chose siding with his friends over effectively doing his job as commish. In fact, after BIG3 sued the investors, Mason commented on an Instagram photo featuring him with the two men saying, "#family."

TMZ.com

Matt Dollinger: Roger Mason Jr. just released a statement strongly disputing his firing from the BIG3 and calling the company's work environment "hostile and racist."

Twitter

Jeff Zillgitt: In statement, former NBA player and former NBPA exec Roger Mason Jr. refutes notion that he was fired as commissioner from Big 3 because of corruption.

Twitter

Roger Mason's out, Ice Cube is in ... with the rap legend replacing the ex-NBA star as the Commish of the BIG3 basketball league after allegations of some seriously shady conduct. TMZ Sports has obtained a letter the BIG3 sent to players, coaches and staff explaining the move: "We are writing to inform you of the decision by the BIG3 to terminate the employment of Roger Mason Jr. for cause under the terms of his employment agreement with the league." The letter details a corruption investigation involving Mason and his ties to two Qatari investors who allegedly stiffed the league out of millions of dollars ... investors that Mason brought to the league in the first place.

TMZ.com

BIG3 sued the investors Ayman Sabi and Ahmed Al-Rumaihi -- but Mason allegedly refused to cooperate with the league because of his personal relationship with the men. The league says Mason had an obligation to side with BIG3 due to his role as Commish. One of the problems, the league says it found evidence the Qataris were showering certain BIG3 employees with gifts and vacations while refusing to pay the league. The insinuation is that Mason was one of the beneficiaries and it corrupted his ability to effectively run the league. The good news ... Ice Cube will step into the Commish role effective immediately and will stay in the job until the league finds a long-term replacement.

TMZ.com

Roger Mason Jr: RIP Dan Fegan. Life really is so precious. Prayers for his son and family.

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