Adam Silver: Drake, NBA in a 'Good Place' After Discussion About His Behavior
NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters the league and Drake are in a "good place" after the rapper was doing a little too much on the sidelines during games.
"I think in the case of Drake, as I've said before, I mean we certainly appreciate his superfan status, and I know he's beloved in the community of Toronto. I think certainly we don't want fans, friend or foe, contacting an NBA coach during a game. I think that even as Nick Nurse later said, I didn't even realize it was Drake or hardly was aware that I was being touched, and I think those can lead to dangerous situations. You're in the middle of coaching a game and you're completely focused, you obviously don't want somebody who is not on your team touching you.
"We understood that in this case, given Drake's relationship to the team, it's not the same as just any fan who happened to be courtside touching a coach. But I think that's an absolute bright line that we have to draw. So that's one example and I would also say that I think the issue for the League is that he has this ambassador-type role with the team. So he is viewed a little differently than any fan sitting there. But at the same time I think there are appropriate lines that shouldn't be crossed in terms of how a competing team is addressed or the officials for that matter.
"As I said, you know, the league office had conversations directly with Drake and his manager and I think we ended up in a good place."
Unfortunately for Raptors coach Nick Nurse, that means his shoulders may have to stay tense during the NBA Finals. Or, perhaps, the team can hire someone to give them a little if-needed rubdown on the sidelines like the rapper/singer/actor/Raptors global ambassador and superfan did during the Eastern Conference Finals.
Drake may be avoiding the on-court massages, but he's certainly not toned down his trollery. The "God's Plan" rapper arrived at Scotiabank Arena wearing an autographed Dell Curry Raptors jersey and a Nike armband covering up his tattoos honoring Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.
Dell Curry played for the Raptors from 1999-2002.
