Former NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Rudy Gay have entered the chat when it comes to the drama between Drake a DeMar DeRozan. The two former NBA Stars turned podcasters offered their unique views on the ongoing kind of feud between the rapper and the basketball player.
Listen, as you probably know this all comes from Drake’s longstanding rivalry with Kendrick Lamar, which has had ripple effects in the sports world.
Carmelo Anthony gave his seven cents (get it because of his number, ha) on his show 7PM in Brooklyn, shared his thoughts on the situation, explaining that Drake’s feelings might be hurt due to the close bond he had with DeRozan during their time together in Toronto. “I think Drake was hurt a little bit because of the relationship he built with DeMar in Toronto,” Melo dished. “Representing the 6, Raptors—you know that was a lot of connection with those two. He’s a Raptor for life from a basketball standpoint. Yes, that jersey should be going up.” Anthony highlighted how deep the connection ran, with both men sharing a link to the Raptors and their city.
Now ICYMI, Rudy Gay, recently and reluctantly retired from the NBA and is now a recurring co-host on 7PM in Brooklyn, didn’t hold back in expressing his disapproval of Drake’s recent actions. “That’s wack, man. Drake is wack for that,” Gay stated, referring to Drake’s public comments about DeRozan. Gay’s sentiment was clear: if Drake had an issue with DeRozan, he should’ve addressed it directly instead of making things public. “You gotta pull up on DeMar if you feel that way before you go on camera,” Gay added.
What’s more, Melo echoed Gay’s thoughts, especially regarding Drake’s remarks about pulling down DeRozan’s potential Raptors banner. “Drake did a lot when he said I’ma go up there and take it down. That part is a lot,” Carmelo commented. However, he also acknowledged that DeRozan may have unintentionally become an antagonist to Drake when he appeared on stage with Kendrick Lamar during The Pop Out concert and starred in the music video for “Not Like Us.” Melo said, “Those are shots. You my man, we in the crib, we hanging, we building the 6 up. From that standpoint, that would f**k me up, too. I’m gonna feel a way no matter what, but yes, you do have a conversation. As a man, you have a conversation.”
Rudy Gay went on to agree with Anthony, emphasizing that if there was an issue, Drake should’ve addressed it with DeRozan privately. “If you got a problem, come at me,” Gay said. “To see your man’s out there dancing with the enemy, that’s kinda crazy.”
To recap, the drama escalated earlier this month when Drake was courtside at a Toronto Raptors game against the Sacramento Kings. During the broadcast, Drake was heard calling DeRozan a “goof” and jokingly threatening to take down his Raptors banner if it were ever put up. After the game, which the Raptors won, Drake was seen mouthing “Fk outta here, puy” as DeRozan walked off the court. When DeRozan was asked about the banner comments during a post-game press conference, he responded, “Well he gon’ have a long way to climb to take it down, so tell him good luck.”
This cross culture beef, spanning rap and ball, marks a sharp turn in their relationship, which was once much warmer. Just three years ago, DeRozan had publicly stated that Drake would “forever have a friend” in him, even after being traded from the Raptors to the San Antonio Spurs. Despite being blindsided by the trade, DeRozan received support from Drake, who invited him over to his house and offered words of encouragement. Even after his appearance in Kendrick Lamar’s video, DeRozan maintained that he still had love for Drake. However, based on their recent interactions, that camaraderie seems to have faded.
All just exhausting.
