Sacramento Kings Stand by DeRozan After Drake’s Viral Jersey Incident
DeMar DeRozan, who has spent just one season with the Sacramento Kings, is receiving unwavering support from the franchise following a viral moment with Canadian rapper Drake during his concert in Sydney.
The Jersey Incident: Drake’s Viral Jab
While performing in Sydney, Drake was handed a Toronto Raptors jersey featuring DeRozan’s name. The rapper, who had a significant connection with DeRozan during the latter’s nine years with the Raptors, picked up the jersey before spiking it to the ground in a seemingly mocking gesture. The moment quickly went viral, sparking controversy online.
Kings Clap Back with Edited Clip
The Sacramento Kings, however, wasted no time in showing their support for DeRozan. On Tuesday, they shared an edited version of the viral clip on their official social media. In the Kings’ version, instead of the Raptors jersey being dropped to the floor, it hits a fan in the face, who then proudly takes the jersey home. The team captioned the post: “The 916 loves Deebo,” referencing Sacramento’s area code (916) while also highlighting the “6” as a nod to Toronto’s area codes (416 and 647). It was a clear show of hometown pride for DeRozan.
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DeRozan’s Connection to Drake
DeRozan’s ties to Drake run deep. The two formed a close friendship during DeRozan’s time in Toronto, and along with teammate Kyle Lowry, they were featured on the cover of Slam Magazine in June 2016 under the title “6 Gods,” celebrating their strong bond.
However, their relationship has seen its ups and downs. Last summer, things shifted when Drake found himself in a heated rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. DeRozan made his stance clear by supporting Lamar, a fellow Compton native, at Lamar’s concert during a performance of “Not Like Us,” a Grammy-winning diss track aimed at Drake. DeRozan even appeared in the music video for the track, which features the lyric, “I’m glad DeRoz’ came home, y’all didn’t deserve him neither.”
Drake’s Response and DeRozan’s Reply
The tension continued later in the year when Drake made headlines with a comment during a Raptors broadcast, stating that if the team ever retired DeRozan’s jersey, he would personally take it down. DeRozan responded with a defiant line, saying, “He’s got a long way to climb. Tell him good luck.”
Despite the ongoing back-and-forth, the Sacramento Kings remain loyal to their player, showing that DeRozan can count on their unwavering support, regardless of any drama surrounding his past relationship with Drake.
