McCants hits BIG3 title game-winner, rips off jersey

Rashad McCants was the BIG3's ultimate redemption story, a player who blames executives for the brevity of his NBA career and became a villain to the North Carolina fans who once loved him.

He delivered until the very end for Trilogy, the dominant team that went 10-0 in Ice Cube's three-on-three basketball league's first season. Trilogy beat 3 Headed Monsters 51-46 in the championship game Saturday in Las Vegas, with McCants scoring the game's final five points.

Here's the game-winner:

Trilogy captain Kenyon Martin built this roster, selecting McCants with the first pick of the BIG3 draft. Coach Rick Mahorn, who can be seen celebrating immediately after McCants' shot falls, guided this roster with toughness and size to match his own.

It's easy to understand why he celebrated like that. McCants has gone through a lot in his basketball career, which is why he was so happy about joining the BIG3.

"Most importantly it's just shutting the book on a career that never really reached full potential," McCants told For The Win earlier this week. "The years of a potential prime are vanished without a trace because of a few upper-level executives that decided to make my life a living hell. Ice Cube brought me in with a chance to reinvent myself."

McCants scored 22 points, tying 3 Headed Monsters' Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf for a game-high. Fellow NBA castoff James White also was a hero for Trilogy, putting up 16 and playing the key role in shutting down BIG3 MVP Rashard Lewis, who only had 10 points.

The BIG3 already is locked in for a second season, and the drama of Trilogy's comeback and big finish should only help.