By james art 
A real feud could be brewing between Kings forward DeMar DeRozan and multi-platinum artist Drake.
DeRozan and the Kings made their only visit to face the Raptors on Saturday — the same night Hall of Famer Vince Carter would see his number raised to the rafters. As with many important moments at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Drake sat courtside near the Raptors bench.
For context, Carter is the first Raptor player to have his number retired, and many viewed his ceremony as a preview of what would one day come for DeRozan. During Saturday night’s game, Drake had some strong words for — and at — DeRozan, sparking an argument between the two.
What did Drake say about DeRozan? Here’s what sparked the Kings forward’s reaction and what likely led to the rift between the two sides.
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What did Drake say about DeMar DeRozan?
Early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, Drake joined the Raptors’ telecast. While talking about tonight’s events, Drake gave an unexpected take on Toronto’s No. 10 promotion.
“If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I’m going to go up there and take it down myself,” Drake told Matt Devlin and Jack Armstrong.
“If you ever put up a banner on DeRozan, I’ll go up there and take it down myself…shout out to Kyle.” Drake, salty at DeMar DeRozan, who was in the Not Like Us video with Kendrick Lamar. to hell with it pic.twitter.com/KUN3ViL9E9
— Faizal Khamisa (@FaizalKhamisa) November 3, 2024
Drake’s appearances on Raptors broadcasts are usually hilarious, but his rant about DeRozan didn’t seem like a joke
As time ticked down, Drake appeared to give DeRozan a menacing look before quietly uttering a NSFW message in the Kings forward’s direction. After the game, DeRozan ended his press conference with a quick jab in response to the artist.
“He’s going to have a long way to go to take it down, tell him ‘good luck,'” DeRozan said when asked about Drake.
“He’ll have to climb a long way to get it down.”
DeMar DeRozan isn’t fazed by Drake saying he’ll take down the banner if the Raptors retire the forward’s No. 10 jersey pic.twitter.com/9mWdYKAKVU
— NBCS Kings (@NBCSKings) November 3, 2024
After the game, DeRozan posted an Instagram story that included a clip from the movie “Friday” in which Chris Tucker’s character Smokey says, “I have mind control over Deebo, he shut up, I shut up. But when he goes, I will speak again.”
DeRozan often goes by the nickname Deebo, and his Instagram story appears to refer to Drake’s comments about the show and what lip-readers think the artist said in DeRozan’s direction.
Drake’s stance likely stems from DeRozan’s devotion to Compton, Calif.-born Kendrick Lamar during the feud that began in the spring.
Over the summer, DeRozan appeared in the music video for Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at Drake. DeRozan also joined Lamar on stage during his “Pop Out” concert at the Kia Forum, where he performed the diss song five times in a row.
Among the song’s many notable lyrics, Lamar took direct aim at DeRozan and Drake’s relationship, saying, “I’m glad DeRose (DeRozan) went home, you don’t deserve it either,” adding a layer to the feud by hinting, that DeRozan is better in the States than on Team Canada.
After signing with the Kings, DeRozan was asked about his relationship with the two artists. At the time, he said: “I love Drake… Kendrick’s a friend of mine – he’s damn close to the family.”
Four months later, it appears Drake doesn’t think DeRozan can take it both ways. Or it can be all in good fun and no one outside is in on the fun.
MORE: Why DeMar DeRozan, Russell Westbrook Join Kendrick Lamar On Stage At ‘Pop Out’
The relationship between DeMar DeRozan and Drake, explained
DeRozan was selected ninth overall by the Raptors in the 2009 NBA draft.
After the departure of Chris Bosh in 2010, DeRozan quickly rose to prominence as a Toronto fan favorite at the same time Toronto native Drake rose to prominence as a global music star.
Drake’s lifelong affection for his hometown team helped establish a bond with DeRozan. In 2013, Drake became a global ambassador for the franchise, adding a formal element to his relationship with the franchise.
During DeRozan’s tenure with the Raptors, he and Drake did a skit with Will Ferrell and shared the cover of SLAM magazine with Kyle Lowry among many other moments. After DeRozan was traded to the Spurs in 2018, Drake wrote a farewell on Instagram, calling DeRozan his brother.
On Drake’s 2021 “Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” he paid tribute, saying, “And my city loves me like DeMar DeRozan,” a reminder of Toronto’s enduring adoration for the Compton native.