With the 2016-17 NBA season in full swing and an official Drake night at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre in the bag, it’s time to examine one of the franchise’s most fervent (if capricious) fans, a young man by the name of Aubrey Drake Graham.
When it comes to celebrity basketball fans, no one can deny that Drake has boundless enthusiasm and an ardent love for the game. In many ways, this is not unlike his undying devotion and affection for Rihanna. And yet much like his ongoing saga with the pop star, on the basketball front, there have been many, many dalliances hinted at before, during and after his sworn allegiance to the Raptors, his hometown team.
The Toronto native and self-proclaimed “6 God” (the numeral refers to the city’s area code) is open about his love of the Raptors, but just can’t help playing the field when it comes to basketball. On any given night, you might find him sitting courtside in Toronto, Cleveland or Oakland. After a game, it’s not uncommon to catch him in the club with LeBron James or noshing at In-N-Out Burger with Steph and Ayesha Curry, because Drake seems to subscribe to the Taylor Swift school of celebrity friendships: you can never have too many.
Over the last four years, Drake has never been held back by loyalty to just one team. Here’s a handy timeline of his fair-weather fandom.
August 2010: In an interview where he talks about being BFFs with LeBron James and fostering a friendship with future Sacramento Kings star Demarcus “Boogie” Cousins, Drake tells ESPN’s The Life that he is still a “Raptors fan to the death,” although in the same breath, he also acknowledges that since Chris Bosh’s departure, the team “needs something.”
February 2011: Drake makes an appearance alongside rumored flame Rihanna when she performs at the 2011 NBA All-Stars Game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. During the time that he isn’t on stage, Drake sits courtside to cheer on all the players from LeBron James to his future ESPY funnyman skit co-star Blake Griffin.
June 2013: The diehard Raptors fan is on deck to celebrate LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s finals victory with the Heat in Miami. While he is denied access to the locker room (“Media only!”), don’t feel too bad for him — he later parties with the team and there is pizza.
September 2013: Drake is named a global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors, charged with what he describes as rebranding the franchise while “spreading the gospel” of Toronto basketball. Other official duties include hosting games, helping design a clothing line with the team and presiding over a designated “Drake Night.” Unofficial duties mostly involve him coaching from the sidelines and taunting other teams on social media.
February 2014: At the 2014 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans, Drake not only escorts Toronto’s Terrence Ross to the court for the annual dunk contest, but he assists Ross for a between-the-leg dunk. Drake obviously takes his global ambassador duties very seriously.
June 2014: Drake dedicates a memorable lines in his track, “0-100” to the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, proclaiming “I been Steph Curry with the shot/Been cookin’ with the sauce, chef, curry with the pot, boy.” This is the beginning of Drake fostering a friendship with yet another star basketball player.
July 2014: After LeBron James signs with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Drake is asked during a press conference whether Cleveland is now his favorite sports city because of King James’ move. Drake responds by emphasizing that he does “not team jump” but he will “go watch games in Cleveland” and is definitely looking “into real estate in Cleveland.”
August 2014: During a Toronto show, Drake asks the audience to show some love to then-OKC player Kevin Durant. “Before we leave, I just want to show one of my brothers something,” Drake said. “You know, my brother Kevin Durant was kind enough to come to the show tonight and watch us. I just want him to see what would happen if he came to play in Toronto. Let him know what would happen.” The crowd responded with “KD” chants and a standing ovation. This is interpreted as a violation of the league’s anti-tampering rules and the Raptors are fined $25,000, according to a report by ESPN. Note to other aspiring global ambassadors — this is not a good look.
December 2015: Drake attends a home game for the Golden State Warriors at the Oracle Arena; he later makes an In-N-Out run with Steph and Ayesha Curry, because that’s what best friends do.
My loveeee Drake is at in-n-out in Alameda!!!! @champagnepapi @stephencurry30 @ayeshacurry #drake #stephencurry #ayeshacurry (click link in bio to hear how it happened!!!!)
A video posted by .