Drake has been the Raptors’ biggest hype man for years, serving as their ‘global ambassador’ since 2013. His bond with former star DeMar DeRozan has always been tight, but things got spicy when the latter popped up in Kendrick Lamar’s diss track about Drake. Yeah, that happened. Naturally, fans speculated about some drama between the two.

DeRozan, ever the cool head, shut it down, telling The Sacramento Bee, “Drake’s still my man… it’s music, entertainment… two of the biggest rappers… battled it out.” Case closed, right?

Fast forward to Vince Carter’s jersey retirement in Toronto, where DeRozan returned as a King. Drake threw a playful jab on air: “If you ever put a DeRozan banner up, I’ll go up there and pull it down myself.” DeRozan laughed, “He’s going to have a long way to climb to take it down, so good luck.”

At a recent Raptors-Warriors game, Drake learned he was temporarily banned from using a mic. The ban, although, not a permanent one, is reportedly for a whole year! You can imagine how that went down. He didn’t hold back, hopping on Instagram to vent and tagging the team: “@raptors how long is my headphone ban?? I was born to commentate.”

SAS on The Stephen A. Smith Show didn’t mince words when addressing the Canadian, saying, “Drake is looking weaker and weaker every day.” Smith highlighted how Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us track allegedly caused Drake’s child and co-parent to leave Toronto, adding, “The mother of his kid, along with his child, has to move out of Toronto because of the treatment they were receiving.”

Smith also criticized Drake for turning on DeRoz, who was once a top player for the Raptors. “What’s the hell wrong with you… His crime is one crime and one crime only. He could not beat LeBron James, that’s about it. He was an elite NBA player for the Toronto Raptors and was always cool with Drake. Because Kendrick Lamar got you, you gonna hate on DeMar DeRozan?” SAS asserted, questioning why Drake would hate someone he used to back wholeheartedly.

His advice to Drake? “He need to stand down,” Smith concluded with a pointed remark: “Come on Drake. It’s just a song, bro. You too great to be in news for this kind of stuff, man.” SAS ended it with this.

On the other hand, another ex-NBA star was all praise for the 6x All-Star.

A 17-year NBA veteran praises Sactown’s DeMar DeRozan!

DeMar DeRozan delivered a vintage 33-point performance to help the Sacramento Kings secure a 132-127 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday. When the Kings traded for the 6x All-Star in the 2024 offseason, many questioned the move. Adding another offensive star seemed risky, especially with Sactown’s defensive struggles. But halfway through the season, DeRozan is proving the critics wrong.

Through 36 games, DeRozan is averaging 21.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, shooting 48.1% from the field. Even at 35, he’s been clutch, stepping up when the Kings needed him most. His midrange game has been a huge factor, as DeRozan continues to thrive inside the arc in an era dominated by three-point shooters.

Sacramento, now 21-20, has won eight of their last nine games, with DeRozan’s recent 33-point performance fueling their surge. Despite not being a three-point specialist, DeRozan has proven his value by contributing from beyond the arc when necessary.

Lou Williams, a 3x Sixth Man of the Year, praised DeRozan’s skill, saying, “I’ve watched this guy work for hours and never step more than 15 feet from the basket. Over a decade, doing the same thing. Where would he rank all-time? He’d have to be Top 5 because that’s been consistently who he is. … When it comes to [midrange], DeMar DeRozan is the best in the game, no matter what!”

DeRozan’s impact on the Kings has been undeniable, and he’s showing that age is just a number.