When LeBron James publicly reflected on his deep bond with Drake in heartfelt message: "l've learned a lot from him"

Before the speculated fallout between LeBron James and Drake, the NBA superstar and the hip-hop icon were once close friends. James said in a 2019 interview that he had known the artist since before the rapper dropped his debut studio album, “Thank Me Later” in 2010. There was once a time the basketball legend heaped praise on the Canadian songwriter before the rumored rift.

In a chat with reporters four years ago, King James had this to say about his then good friend:

“I've learned a lot from him. What you guys saw, that's who he is. I’ve been knowing Drake since 2007. We've grown closer & closer every year & I'm proud of who he is today, not only as an artist and son but as a father.”

The rumored animosity between the LA Lakers superstar and the five-time Grammy award-winning artist reportedly started in June 2024. At the height of the public feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, James attended Lamar’s “The Pop Out” concert. Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan and other NBA stars also went to the Kia Forum to join the party.

A month after the concert, LeBron James, his wife, Savannah James, and their daughter Zhuri vibed to Lamar’s diss track against Drake. The Jameses had fun listening to “Not Like Us,” a song that called Drizzy a “pedo” after Team USA beat Canada in the its 2024 Olympic preparation.

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Drake reportedly replaced a LeBron James tattoo for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

LeBron James has not addressed his rumored beef with Drake, but the rapper continues to take rumored shots at the LA Lakers superstar. During the artist’s performance at the Wireless Festival in London, England, Drizzy reportedly tweaked his “Nonstop” hit.

He rapped:

“How do I go from 6 to 23, but not LeBron?”

Previously, the line went:

“How I go from 6 to 23 like I'm LeBron?”

Even more apparent than the change in lyrics, Drake caught the attention of fans when he entered the stage without James tattooed on his arms. The artist replaced James with fellow Canadian and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

For most fans, Drake’s actions made the rumored beef undeniable even though LeBron James has refused to comment about the speculations.