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NBA players have a huge fan following, which includes a lot of rap stars. Many rappers can be found on the sidelines of almost every NBA game and are friends with a lot of superstars in the league.
Several NBA players, such as Damian Lillard, have also tried their hand at rapping careers and have done a great job.
In this article, we will take a look at the five NBA players who are friends with rap stars. Many of them have also been featured in music videos and lyrics.
1) LeBron James and Jay-Z
During his 2008 clash with the Washington Wizards, LeBron James had a feud with DeShawn Stevenson. The latter called James overrated while LeBron compared himself to Jay-Z.
Later on, the Brooklyn rapper released a diss track, siding with the Cavaliers superstar and dissing Stevenson.
Jay-Z has included LeBron in a few other songs, including "Empire State of Mind" and "Gotta Have It."
2) James Harden and Nipsey Hussle
Nipsey Hussle tragically died in March 2019 as he was assassinated by a gunman. He had several relationships with NBA players, but one of his best friends was James Harden.
The two of them supported each other throughout many years. Nipsey was there for Harden when he won his MVP award, while Harden attented Nipsey's shows and is a regular listener of his music.
3) Dwyane Wade and Rick Ross
NBA players know that playing for the Miami Heat comes with a lot of perks. Besides a storied franchise that puts emphasis on competing, players can enjoy hot weather and even hang out with rappers.
Dwyane Wade, who won three championships in Miami, is a good friend of Rick Ross, a Miami-based rapper. The two of them even had a song together called "Season Ticket Holder" that was released in 2020.
4) Steph Curry and Drake
Being a Canadian rap star, Drake is a huge fan of the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry in 2019, which was the icing on the cake for the rapper.
However, he is a big fan of many NBA players and teams, including Curry. In his song "0 to 100 / The Catch Up," Drake spoke highly of the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history.
The Canadian rapper also included Ayesha Curry, Steph's wife, in his "Race my Mind" song.
5) Drake and Devin Booker
Drake may be a fan of the Raptors, but he respects many other NBA players. Devin Booker, the Phoenix Suns superstar, is one of the players that Drake has supported over the years.
The popular rapper wore Booker's jersey during several concerts. It first happened in 2016, during the NBA superstar's rookie season. Drake also wore Booker's high school jersey in 2018.
"Sicko Mode," one of Drake's greatest hits, has a reference to Devin Booker as well.
"See the shots that I took, wet like I'm Book."
Considering how good the Suns guard is, we can expect Drake to keep rocking his jersey for many more years.
