Drake Has Become The Rowdy Uncle Of The Raptors

“In the Six cooking with the wrist motion,” Drake rapped prophetically in 2015. “The Six” refers to Toronto’s area code. “Wrist motion” refers to the stress relief he offered Raptors coach Nick Nurse late in their Game 4 Eastern Conference Finals win.

Officially designated “global ambassador” of the Raptors in 2013, and having since evolved into a mascot with a higher BAC allowance, Drake has been a broadcast staple of this series.

While it is somewhat refreshing to see a courtside celebrity so invested in the outcome of a game, his level of involvement is unprecedented: stalking the sidelines, hooting and gesticulating, touching any and all Raptors personnel available, and generally doing as much as possible.

He relishes every opportunity to heckle Giannis Antetokounmpo, which would be even more fun if retaliation were a possibility.

The four-time Grammy-winning recording artist has held a (if not the) basketball in both home games.

“Six cold like Alaska,” rapped Drake in 2016, which only partially explains his decision to don technical outerwear during an indoor sporting event. Low of 47° that night.

What you see here is two of Toronto’s heroes affording one another equal respect.

And again here.

Should the Raptors advance, Drake might find his loyalties split.