BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz made waves Tuesday when he said a “credible source” suggested to him that Kobe Bryant would be participating in the 3-on-3 league next year. However, Kobe Inc. Chief Marketing Officer Molly Carter has shut down that rumor, telling Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press that Kobe is “definitely” not playing in the BIG3 next season.

This is a bit of a letdown after the excitement from earlier in the day, though Kwatinetz did admit that the rumor had a chance of not panning out. Sure enough, the rumor didn't have any legs.

Ice Cube, another BIG3 co-founder, has been trying to get Kobe to participate in the league for a while now. And just a few days ago, a reporter asked BIG3 players Stephen Jackson and Alan Anderson about how Bryant would fare in the league.

Both Jackson and Anderson scoffed at the notion that Kobe may not be able to handle the physicality, and Jackson basically begged the future Hall of Famer to come play in the BIG3.

While it looked like we were going to see that come to fruition, we're going to have to keep waiting. But perhaps things change over the next year. Ice Cube certainly won't stop trying to convince Kobe to play.