NBA Stars And Their Rapper Equivalents 2023
LeBron is Drake? MJ is Jay-Z? For hip-hop's 50th anniversary, we curated a list of NBA players and their rap equivalents.
The cultures of hip-hop and basketball have always been intertwined. We've seen the long history of rappers court side at NBA games, NBA players in the studio with rappers, or NBA players front row for a concert. From music video cameos to the name drops in songs, you cannot tell the story of basketball without including hip hop's impact and vice versa. Rappers want to be hoopers and hoopers want to be rappers.
For hip-hop's 50th anniversary, we curated a list of NBA players and their rap equivalents. The list features players and rappers from today and legends from the past. While this list is not a new concept for us, it's the first time we've included players from the past that are no longer playing today.
While coming up with comparisons for longtime legends was a smoother process, it was difficult pairing names for young players as the rap game is in a weird phase right now with its young talent. Truthfully, the young talents of rap haven't made as much of an impact as young NBA players have in their respective field so it was tough to match up names. Of course, there are some big names from rap and basketball missing from the list like Giannis Antetokounmpo and J. Cole but we didn't want to pair anyone we couldn't make an argument for.
The cultures of hip-hop and basketball have always been intertwined. We've seen the long history of rappers court side at NBA games, NBA players in the studio with rappers, or NBA players front row for a concert. From music video cameos to the name drops in songs, you cannot tell the story of basketball without including hip hop's impact and vice versa. Rappers want to be hoopers and hoopers want to be rappers.
For hip-hop's 50th anniversary, we curated a list of NBA players and their rap equivalents. The list features players and rappers from today and legends from the past. While this list is not a new concept for us, it's the first time we've included players from the past that are no longer playing today.
While coming up with comparisons for longtime legends was a smoother process, it was difficult pairing names for young players as the rap game is in a weird phase right now with its young talent. Truthfully, the young talents of rap haven't made as much of an impact as young NBA players have in their respective field so it was tough to match up names. Of course, there are some big names from rap and basketball missing from the list like Giannis Antetokounmpo and J. Cole but we didn't want to pair anyone we couldn't make an argument for.
LeBron James is Drake
Maybe the most seamless comparison to make across the NBA and music, LeBron and Drake are both once in a lifetime talents who have also experienced an unprecedented amount of longevity atop their respective fields. For James, he continues to remain a north star in a sport dominated by young men, while becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in 2023. For Drake, there are no signs of slowing down, with him continuing to break and set new records seemingly with each new release. Multiple career-defining highs, some embarrassing lows and unrivaled success in between is something that these two both have in common. And with each passing year of success, it gets harder and harder to make arguments against their claims as the best we have ever seen.
Michael Jordan is Jay-Z
While Jay-Z might not have had the stranglehold on rap during his peak the way that Jordan had a stranglehold on the NBA during his peak, it was still pretty damn high. And much like Jordan, when you observe Jay-Z’s entire body of work, you see a resume that not many, if any at all, can stand up against. While MJ went 6-0 in the Finals, Jay-Z managed to drop acclaimed album after acclaimed album every year from 1996 through 2003. And even after retirements from both, they still came back and showed they could hold their own against the best of a new generation. While debates rage on about MJ versus LeBron or even Hov versus Drake, what has always been clear is that it would take something never seen before to knock the two top guys from their throne. And even then, it still may not be enough.
Steph Curry is Kendrick Lamar
If LeBron is Drake, it's only right that Steph Curry is Kendrick Lamar. While Kendrick and Drake have worked together in the past and might have mutual respect for each, you can't argue that they have been battling for the title as best rapper in the game for the past decade. Drake fans argue with Kendrick fans the same way that Steph Curry fans argue with LeBron fans. While Kendrick might have better albums and full bodies of work, Drake has more hits and arguably a better discography overall. While LeBron may go down as the most accomplished player to ever play the game, he didn't change the game of basketball like Steph did. They'll all go down as certified legends in music and basketball rap but their parallels align especially when it comes to their rivalries.
Kobe Bryant is Lil Wayne
Two universally-loved legends. There's no one that denies Lil Wayne's greatness. There's no one that denies Kobe's greatness. The same way Weezy had respect for Jay-Z mirrors the respect Kobe had for MJ. Lil Wayne mentioned recently that Jay-Z inspired him not to write his raps. Wayne also has Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter lyrics tatted on him. With that being said, he was still competitive when their careers overlapped just like Kobe wanted to prove to MJ that he was better despite mirroring his game after MJ. While you may see not them as the No. 1 GOAT in their respective fields, you can't talk about the greats without mentioning them. Their legacies and catalogs will live forever. The two also shared a mutual respect for each other. We can't write this blurb without mentioning the song "Kobe Bryant" by Lil Wayne, which is a timeless track.
Kevin Durant is Future
While Drake and LeBron have held their places as the faces of hip-hop and the NBA for their generation, and Kendrick Lamar and Steph Curry have threatened their reigns at the top, it seems as if Kevin Durant and Future often get overlooked. Durant is one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the NBA, somebody who at 6-foot-11 can play inside, out and dominate in the midrange. Future has the same type of versatility when it comes to making music, being able to craft hit records, brutally honest introspective deep cuts, and even croon as a more than viable R&B act in his own right. The versatility both have displayed has led to resumes that warrant them not only being mentioned amongst the best of their generation, but the greatest of all-time as well. Cherish them both while they are still here, because even though they are still operating at a high level late into their careers, their greatness won’t be actively on display forever.
Shaq is Notorious B.I.G.
This comparison is NOT based off the fact these were two fairly large humans, who were worldwide superstars. Neither of these two should really be outside your top 7-8 when discussing the greatest of all time in basketball and rap. Shaq has the clear argument of being the most dominant player ever to play the game while Biggie has a case for being the greatest lyricist ever. They both dominated the mid to late 90's. Biggie gave us classics in Ready to Die and Life After Death while Shaq picked his first MVP and NBA championship in the 1999-2000 season. It's also worth adding that these two happened to have a good relationship and even had a song together.
Ja Morant is NBA YoungBoy
A lot of people may think this a jab at the gun situation and the off the court issues but it's really not. It's not even a playful joke about that. The younger generation is obsessed with Ja Morant, the same way they're obsessed with NBA YoungBoy. Regardless of what they do in their outside lives, their fan base will remain strong and two of them are the most popular young stars in their respective industries. Even after Ja Morant's second gun flash on social media, his shoes still sold out immediately when they released. The kids love Ja. The kids love Kentrell. Obviously, there's the connection between the two as well with Ja being a fan of YoungBoy's music. If you had to pick two figures that Gen Z adores, it's these two.
Trae Young is Gunna
Trae Young is one of the best young point guards in the NBA, displaying a rare ability to control a game with his dominant scoring ability or elite passing and playmaking for those around him. With historic numbers to start his career, and multiple playoff appearances to show for it, one would think Young would have universal praise and approval from fans and peers alike. But that isn’t the case, with Young missing the All-Star Game in two of the last three seasons, despite making the playoffs in each of them. Gunna finds himself in the same boat. An extremely talented hitmaker who has proven to be able to work with seemingly any type of artist, but now finds himself with his back against the wall being black balled by the very rappers and producers he has made magic with in the studio. The talent of Trae Young and Gunna is undeniable, but the fact that people within their fields and fans alike have cooled on them for one reason or another is what truly bonds these two.
Jimmy Butler is 21 Savage
No, these two aren’t being paired together because Jimmy Butler wore no. 21 at one point and that happens to be 21 Savage’s nickname. The real reason is that while neither one is as flashy as their contemporaries, they both consistently grade out as two of the best in the NBA and hip-hop currently. Jimmy Butler’s counting stats during the regular season say he is an All-Star player, but maybe not a franchise player. But his play during the postseason routinely shows that he is not only a franchise player, but one of the best big game players in recent NBA history. For 21, you might not immediately think of him as one of the biggest stars in rap due to his unsuspecting personality and dark sound in his music. But then you look at his resume and you see multiple platinum albums, huge records with the likes of Drake, The Weeknd and Post Malone, and it’s clear that he is one of the most consistent and productive rappers of his generation.
Devin Booker is Lil Uzi Vert
This seems a bit out of left field but hear us out. Uzi and Book are both are around the same age, with over six years of experience in their industries. They've ascended as their careers have progressed. Pink Tape, while polarizing to many music fans, dominated in sales with 167,000 equivalent album units in the first week. That can draw parallels to Devin Booker's playoff performance that left with people polarizing opinions. Book was sensational most of the way but had a terrible ending that mirrored his playoff woes in Game 7 against the Mavs in 2022. With all the being said, you can't argue with the numbers and the rise of the both stars. They haven't reached the top tier yet but they're both knocking on the door with many more years left to rise.
Paolo Banchero is Central Cee
Paolo Banchero was the NBA’s rookie of the year, and there might not be a rapper whose star has grown more in 2023 than London’s Central Cee. Cee released Split Decision with Dave Santan, which featured “Sprinter,” one of the hottest records of the summer. He also recently did an “On The Radar” freestyle with Drake, displaying a type of crossover appeal that has rarely been seen from a rapper from the UK. Banchero was a 20-point scorer as a rookie, and displayed a well-rounded offensive game that makes him one of the most interesting prospects moving forward in the NBA. Both of these guys have clear star potential, and after this past year, it’s reasonable to expect that both of them will become major factors in the NBA and hip-hop landscape for the foreseeable future.