Rachel DeMita’s one-year stint with Ice Cube’s Big 3 basketball league came to a sudden end on June 16, 2025, as a result of a social media post about WNBA star Caitlin Clark. The popular basketball content influencer confirmed her termination in a video statement after she was being talked about for being fired.
The Controversial Tweet That Sparked Termination
The situation unfolded on Saturday, June 14, 2025 when DeMita shared a clip of Clark’s deep three-pointer during the Indiana Fever’s game against the New York Liberty. In the post she called it ‘for those who doubted the hype’, at the same time she was courtside as a correspondent for Big 3 games on CBS.
The timing was unfortunate. Clark was back to action after missing five games due to injury and now was creating buzz with her play. On the same day, Big 3 was airing 4 games from Chicago at the same time the WNBA game was airing on ABC.
Official Statement and Email Details
DeMita received termination notice via email on Tuesday, June 17, at 11 p.m. She shared portions of the league’s statement in her response video, revealing that Big 3 officials were “dismayed and disappointed” by her social media activity.
The email reads: “It has caused concern at Big 3 because Ms. DeMita was posting on her social media platform during this past weekend’s Big 3 games and was promoting the competing New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever WNBA game that was being aired at the same time.”
League management said they were “shocked to find out she was tweeting about games in another league while providing services” for Big 3.
DeMita’s Public Response and Apology
On Friday, June 20, DeMita addressed the situation in a five-minute video posted to social media. She confirmed the termination reports and took responsibility for her actions.
“The rumors are true. I was let go from the Big 3,” DeMita said. “I didn’t think those tweets would hurt the Big 3 or anybody would think anything of it.”
She expressed frustration at the lack of discussion: “I do wish there could have been a conversation because I feel like something like this could have been easily resolved.”
Rachel DeMita’s Basketball Media Journey
DeMita made a name for herself on multiple platforms as a basketball content creator before being hired by Big 3 in June 2024. Her media career started with NBA 2KTV, becoming the first person to host a television show transmitted through a video game.
The Ohio native played competitive basketball for eight years, earning a McDonald’s All-American mention, and received a full Division 1 scholarship to Old Dominion University before transferring to American University where she graduated with a degree in Journalism and Performing Arts.
Building a Social Media Empire
DeMita’s social media presence extends across multiple platforms:
- Over 1 million Instagram followers
- Nearly 279,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter)
- 362,000 YouTube subscribers
- 452,000 TikTok followers
Her content includes sports analysis and basketball commentary, lifestyle vlogs, and behind-the-scenes type of basketball content. She worked with all the big names such as ESPN, Yahoo, bleacher report, fox sports digital and NBA.com.
The Big 3 Role and Expectations
When Big 3 announced the hiring of DeMita in 2024, they were clear in stating that she is not your traditional sideline reporter. In addition to creating behind the scenes content, she is also responsible for the social media interaction of the players that is needed to introduce younger fans to the new 3-on-3 version of basketball.
“It’s a little bit different than your traditional sideline reporter,” DeMita said when hired. “We are also going to make sure that there is a fun spin on it as well. I do a lot of content on social media too.”
The Caitlin Clark Connection
The firing takes on additional significance given Big 3’s previous attempts to recruit Clark. League president Jeff Kwatinetz claimed they offered Clark a $10 million, two-year deal that included partial team ownership, merchandise profits, and a documentary advance.
Clark rejected the offer because she wanted to put her all in her WNBA career, and potentially play in the Olympics. The rejection likely stood somewhere in the back of Big 3 management’s mind when it came to featuring Clark on the broadcast.
Industry Reaction and Fan Response
The firing sparked a lot of discussions amongst both basketball consumers and media. Many stated that Big 3 went too far in firing Clark especially considering DeMita’s profile and social media pull.
Front Office Sports reported that the Clark tweet represented the “final straw” in what appeared to be ongoing tensions between DeMita and league management.
Fans rallied around DeMita on social media, and many questioned the extreme consequence incurred for what they believed was an innocent love of basketball.
Previous Career Highlights
DeMita’s career achievements include:
- First host of NBA 2KTV (2014-2018)
- Participation in the 2018 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
- Top 20 finalist in Miss California USA 2013
- Work with major brands including Google, Adidas, Gatorade, and YouTube TV
- Host of Facebook Gaming’s #PLAYLOUD series
Personal Life and Relationships
DeMita is engaged to former NBA player André Roberson, who played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA. The two have been together since 2018, and they sometimes share their relationship with fans through social media posts.
DeMita is currently 34 years old, is 5 feet 8 inches tall, and has a net worth estimated between one to two million, largely through media appearances, brand sponsorships, and content creation online.
What’s Next for DeMita
Now, while she was prevented from participating in the Big 3, DeMita is continuing to create basketball content online through all her platforms, and with her built-in fan base and connections in the basketball world, she is primed for other opportunities in sports media.
This story shines a light on the increasing complexity in social media management for athletes in leagues that collaborate with the rest of their sport through various digital and broadcast platforms. As boundaries become blurred between traditional broadcasting and digital content, establishing boundaries for team procedures will become more important.
League’s Silence and Moving Forward
Big 3 has not publicly commented beyond the email of termination while saying it is under personnel matter policies. The league has not announced who will replace DeMita while they get set to finish the rest of their 2025 season.
The whole scenario reveals the tension of being able to create a personal brands while being allegiance to different organizations in today’s culture of sports media. For creators like DeMita, it is always a balancing act between multiple entities while still being professional.
Disclaimer: This article represents information available to the public perspective by way of social media, past post and accounts and beyond, as well as publication from established sports media entities. All direct quotes from Rachel DeMita and employee of Big 3 are from confirmed public statements and from documents released from both parties.