Nobody could be prouder of being from Toronto than Drake is. Part of that pride comes in the form of his involvement with the hometown basketball team, the Toronto Raptors.
Drake is listed as an official global ambassador for the franchise, and makes frequent appearances court-side for the games, as well as being a part of their 2019 Championship celebration. Member of that team and the current squad Fred VanVleet spoke about Drake’s impact when he was a recent guest of Steven Jackson and Matt Barnes’ podcast “All The Smoke”: “He’s just an icon. But he’s so much of a nice and genuine dude that when you’re around him you don’t really notice it. He really is a fan, and not in a bad way. He’s really is a fan of the game, he’s a fan of this team and this city. I mean he’s got his owl (OVO logo) right here on an NBA team. He’s got a court, he’s got a jersey, that’s unheard of.”
Drake has inserted himself in some on-court drama this year, as he caused opposing player Montrezl Harrell to get a technical foul for beefing with Drake on the sideline. His passion for the Raptors is apparent, and VanVleet explained how much he appreciates it as a Raptors player: “To come from his hometown and do this with his team, his family and friends that he grew up with, it’s inspirational. I think it’s the blueprint for what a lot of guys should be striving to do. He goes out into the world and he reps it. He’s jus a huge ambassador , not only for the game but for Toronto and I caught that wave at a great time for my first six years because I can see the growth from year to year. The championship was the peak, and you know at the games he just be wildin’ out. He’s a fan and he’ll be trash talking crazy to the players and the refs. He’s rubbing Nick’s (head coach Nick Nurse) shoulders during the game, he’s just having fun man. It’s like a playground for him.”
While Drake’s antics involving the Raptors are widely seen as entertainment, it appears the franchise and its players appreciate his presence.
Check out what Fred had to say below.