Getty Toronto Raptors Global Ambassador and rapper Drake
A popular sight at the Toronto Raptors home games during the 2019 NBA Playoffs has been rapper Drake holding down the fort in his courtside seat. Drake is not just a fan of the Raptors but is a Global Ambassador for the team and he’s been front-and-center throughout the team’s run to the NBA Finals.
With Game 5 of the championship against the Golden State Warriors getting underway on Monday night, it wasn’t the slightest bit surprising to see the founder of the OVO Sound record label in his usual spot. But before that, he made sure to head over and meet with Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia and give him some love, as NBA TV showed.
.@Drake and @superfan_nav share a moment before Game 5. 🇨🇦🙏
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Drake was also spotted chatting with Warriors forward Draymond Green prior to the game getting underway, an interesting storyline after the two had words earlier in the series. But as SportsCenter showed, they appear to be all smiles here.
Dray x Drake 👀
Drake Sings Along to ‘O Canada’ Before NBA Finals Game 5
The Raptors opted to bring the entire crowd into the mix to get Game 5 of the series underway. Instead of having one person sing ‘O Canada,’ the bulk of the fans in attendance were asked to join in, including Drake, as Def Pen Hoops showed.
Drake and Eugene Levy among those at Scotiabank Arena singing ‘O Canada’ tonight before game 5
With the Raptors holding a 3-1 series lead in Game 5, they have a chance to win their first-ever NBA title and in doing so, potentially end one of the most impressive dynasties in recent memory. In turn, it’s not the slightest bit surprising that Drake was at the game, but that he appeared to be feeling pretty good before it also.
Raptors President Masai Ujiri Praises Drake’s Contributions
After the Raptors revealed that their practice facility would be renamed the OVO Athletic Centre, it pointed to the fact that Drake’s connection to the franchise was even bigger than initially believed.
As Josephine Cruz of Complex.com reported, Raptors President Masai Ujiri spoke about the importance of Drake and OVO to Toronto.
“Drake and OVO are an important part of our city’s landscape, our team’s identity, and our plans to bring a championship to Toronto,” said Raptors President Masai Ujiri. “With each step of our partnership over the last five and a half years, we have worked together to build a winning basketball program in Toronto and deliver for our fans and our community. This new naming rights deal for our training facility is a perfect example of the strength of this partnership and the innovative opportunities it can generate.”
It appears Drake will be at any big game for the Raptors moving forward, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s in attendance for every home game he’s able to be in town for. After all, he’s only drawing even more attention to the franchise during a huge stretch in their history.
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Is Drake at Raptors vs. Warriors Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals?