NBA Teams and The Rappers They Resemble
NBA basketball and the world of hip hop go hand in hand. There are crossovers everywhere; from Jay-Z buying up part of the New Jersey Nets to Ron Artest putting out a rap album. Ever since guys like Allen Iverson entered the league and brought the street style into the forefront of the NBA. In this slide show I'm going to try and compare each team to the rapper they best represent. Let's get right down to it and look at which rapper and NBA team go together like gin and juice.
Atlanta Hawks = Lupe Fiasco
1 of 30
Lupe Fiasco is one of the better rappers in the game right now, but doesn't have the mainstream audience that guys like Kanye West or Drake do. The Hawks are right there with him. They are ridiculously talented, but seem to get almost no respect. As both continue to grow and polish their respective games they should continue to rise in popularity and talent until they are left standing on top of the heap.
Boston Celtics = Jay-Z
2 of 30
Both of these franchises are getting older in years and some have doubted whether or not they can keep it going at a high level or not. Both have also proved those doubters wrong in recent years. The Celtics went to the NBA Finals last year and have gotten off to a pretty good start so far. Jay-Z put out another five-star album last year and proved that he is still the king of hip hop. Jay-Z and the Celtics will continue to prove that old vets can still get it done and will quit going at a high level when they want to; not when someone tells them they should.
Charlotte Bobcats = Method Man and Red Man
3 of 30
Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson are one of the better duos in the NBA that nobody really talks about. Meth and Red are pretty much the exact same thing. Both group of guys have seen some success in the past, but have never really seen the upper echelons of their own industries. That said, the two duos are fun to watch/listen to and are always worth the price of admission.
Chicago Bulls = Black Eyed Peas
4 of 30
Both the Bulls and the Black Eyed Peas were pretty good groups before they went out and added a key piece. For the Peas it was Fergie and she quickly pushed them to superstardom. The Bulls are hoping that their addition of Carlos Boozer has the same effect on their team.
Cleveland Cavs = 50 Cent
5 of 30
In the early 2000's, 50 Cent was one the most popular guys in the game. He was putting out huge songs left and right, but as the years went on he tried to branch out and has since lost a bit of his popularity. The Cavs were one of the best teams in the league last year, but then their superstar decided to branch out and ended up leaving the team. The Cavs are hoping they can bounce back like 50 Cent, who came back in 2009 with another solid outing.
Dallas Mavericks = Common
6 of 30
This team and entertainer have both been around for quite awhile. The Mavs have kept their core pretty intact throughout the years, but have been willing to make changes when needed. Common has had a similar career and, like the Mavs, has stayed right around the top of the game. Neither has had huge success, but both have been very good for quite a long time.
Denver Nuggets = Eminem
7 of 30
The Denver Nuggets seem to be a team full of controversy. From Carmelo Anthony's recent trade rumors to Chris Anderson's troubles with pot, this team has had all kinds of problems with the law. Eminem is no stranger to the boys in blue himself. In recent albums he's talked about all kinds of controversial things, including his troubles with drugs. Even though both teams have some problems off the court they both produce when it comes down to it and have stayed on top of their game during the worst times.
Detroit Pistons = Wu-Tang Clan
8 of 30
The Pistons seem to be full of quality players, but lack a true superstar. It seems like their bench could easily run 15 or 16 deep and every member could easily contribute. The Wu-Tang Clan has a similar approach to the game; bring out as many people as possible. When those guys get on stage it looks like the population of a small country. The Pistons hope that they can use the numbers game that the Clan used to get to the top.
Golden State Warriors = The Beastie Boys
9 of 30
Much like the Beastie Boys the Warriors seem to take an approach to their craft that no one else really does. Instead of stocking their team with superstars they decided to just get as many young athletes as possible and hope that athleticism would one day take them to the promised land. The Warriors' brass are hoping that they use the different kind of approach the Beastie Boys did on their rise to the top.
Houston Rockets = T-Pain
10 of 30
This might anger a few Rockets fans, but this team seems to be stocked with second fiddle players. All the guys on the team are good players, but need to be featured with a real superstar before they make big leaps. T-Pain is the same, in that, he doesn't really have much success on his own, but has made a killing as a featured artist. Hopefully, for Houston one of their players can rise to a place T-Pain has not and become a real superstar in the NBA.
Indiana Pacer = Freddie Gibbs
11 of 30
People may or may of not heard of a man from Indiana called Freddie Gibbs. For those that have, you know he has tons of talent and potential to someday be on top. The Pacers have the exact same things going for them. Danny Granger is the best example of this because he has amazing ability on the hard court. Both of these entities hope that they can use their talent to become top tier players in their own games.
Los Angeles Clippers = Lil' Wayne
12 of 30
Lil' Wayne and the Clippers both possess great talent, but both always seem to have something happen to them that gets them in trouble. For Wayne it's been many different run ins with the law, but for the Clippers it's been all kinds of things. From not living up their potential to having season ending injuries. The Clippers hope that they can finally go above their past difficulties and become one of the top dogs; much like Lil' Wayne has done.
Los Angeles Lakers = Kanye West
13 of 30
These two are currently on top of their various games. The Lakers are the current world champions and Kanye has just released his latest 5-star album. Both also have gone through low periods of their career recently. For the Lakers it was the time post Shaq, when Kobe didn't have another superstar to play with. For Kanye it was his self-imposed exile to Hawaii following his mic stealing ways at the VMAs. Both have come out of those dark places much stronger and look to stay on top as long as possible.
Memphis Grizzlies = Wacka Flocka Flame
14 of 30
Much like Wacka Flocka, the Grizz are young and exciting, but have failed to reach that next level yet. Flocka has a few really catchy tracks out, but no one would confuse him with a lyrical genius. Memphis also shows off some flash and have players throwing down highlight reel dunks on a nightly basis. Both of these entities hope that their flashy play can turn into a top of the line franchise.
Miami Heat = Drake
15 of 30
Love 'em or hate 'em these are the two hottest acts in the game. The Heat boast a starting line-up that includes three perennial All-Stars and arguably the best player in the league. Drake has enjoyed a whirlwind of success since putting out the biggest mixtape ever and the release of a Billboard Number One album this past May. The Heat have yet to get the major success Drake has had, but, with them riding a nine-game winning streak it looks like they have the pieces in place to make a run for the top to join Drake.
Milwaukee Bucks = B.o.B.
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Last year the Bucks burst on the scene with a young exciting team that gave us the slogan "Fear the Dear". Likewise, B.o.B. came out with a huge debut album, "The Adventures of Bobby Ray", that more than lived up to expectations. Both are hoping that their sophomore effort can build upon last year's offering and really take the world by storm.
Minnesota Timberwolves = Vanilla Ice
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Okay, first of all the Timberwolves are led by a man that's even whiter than Vanilla Ice. This team has had its one big showing (a 30-30 game by Love) and other than that it's been pretty pitiful, much like Vanilla Ice's career. To be fair, the Wolves have some guys like Michael Beasley who are solid pros and should turn this team around at some point. For now though, they are just a terrible franchise.
New Jersey Nets = Young Money
18 of 30
Now I realize that I've already used two of Young Money's group members on my list, but let's just forget about that and take as just the group. With that said, these two groups are young and exciting. Young Money is led by Lil' Wayne and Drake, two established superstars who can help carry the group. The Nets don't quite have that yet, but their young talent should soon give them the star power they need to take the next step to the top.
New Orleans Hornets = Nelly
19 of 30
Nelly is the short man's Jay Z, in that he has built up quite the empire by using his diverse talents to venture into other things besides rap. The man has been in movies, worked as a celebrity trainer, played in the World Series of Poker, and created an energy drink, among other things. Much like Nelly, the Hornets use their do-everything shortie Chris Paul to get them into the win column. The team is also stocked with versatile guys like Trevor Ariza and David West, that embody the diversity of their leader Paul.
New York Knicks = Big Sean
20 of 30
A'mare Stoudemire has finally stepped out of the shadow of Steve Nash and has shown he has the ability to carry a team. He's joined by point guard Raymond Felton, another guy who has flourished since he's been thrust into the spotlight of New York. G.O.O.D. music protege Big Sean is hoping that he has the same luck when he attempts to step out of his mentor, Kanye West's shadow. The man sure seems like he has the talent to do so, but only time will tell.
Oklahoma City Thunder = Kid Cudi
21 of 30
During 2009 there no bigger freshman artist than Kid Cudi. His debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Days was selected as Hip Hop Album of the year by Entertainment Weekly and had two singles nominated for Grammies. The Thunder were the darlings of the NBA last and seemed to break out during the playoffs. One could easily say that they were the "Freshmen of the Year" and the team is hoping that they can continue to gain success just like Cudi did with his sophomore album, Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager.
Orlando Magic = Rick Ross
22 of 30
The Orlando Magic have the best big man in the League, Dwight Howard. No one at the center position can match Howard's athleticism and defensive presence. He is simply a beast in the paint. Rick Ross is the same story, different game. No other heavyweight (literally speaking) can match up with The Boss's output. He is simply a beast in the studio.
Philadelphia 76ers = Soulja Boy
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Soulja Boy is another rapper that's almost all flash and hardly any substance. He doesn't quite get the respect guys like Wacka Flocka do among rap heads, but his songs get just as much radio play. The 76ers are led by quite a few guys who share that all flash style. Andre Iguodala is one of the most athletic guys in the league, but you wouldn't want to build a team around him. Same goes for guys like Jrue Holiday and Andres Nocioni.
Phoenix Suns = Snoop Dogg
24 of 30
The Suns are led by Steve Nash, who is getting up there in age. Although Nash is getting older, his play on the court has yet to really regress. Surrounding Nash are tall, skinny guys who can shoot the ball, like Channing Frye and Grant Hill. Much like the Suns, Snoop is old, tall and skinny. He has also yet to lose his ability to put out chart-topping albums. Nash and Snoop are old guys who, like fine wine, seem to get better with age.
Portland Trail Blazers = T.I.
25 of 30
T.I. is a great rapper, but just can't seem to get out of his own way. First he put out his best album, "Paper Trail" in 2008, but was arrested and put in jail for a year and a day in 2009. When he got out he began work on his next album "No Mercy", but before that could even come out he was arrested again; this time for drug possession. It seems like if he could put his old life behind him he would come out as one of the best rappers in the game. The Trailblazers also get their own way, but in a different manner. Ever since they drafted Greg Oden in 2007 it seems like this team takes one step forward and two steps back. They used to be the darlings of the NBA, but injuries have drastically damaged what was supposed to be a championship contender. Here's hoping both the rapper and the team can soon turn it around.
Sacremento Kings = J. Cole
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The Kings are a young team with a lot of promise. They have one of the best young guards in reigning Rookie of the Year, Tyreke Evans, and a promising big man in first round pick DeMarcus Cousins. It seems as if it's only a question of when this team will be challenging in the Western Conference. J. Cole is similar in the fact that he is the next big thing. The kid has been all over the place recently and it seems as if his eventual debut album will become the next smash hit.
San Antonio Spurs = Dr. Dre
27 of 30
I don't know if you've heard, but Dr. Dre's long awaited follow-up to "2001" is actually going to come out this year. Dre's next album has been in production forever and during that time he's only brought up some of the biggest rappers in the game and cemented his status as a legend. The man may be old, but he still has the skills to put out a number one record. The Spurs are led by veteran players like Tim Duncan, who have had tons of success in the past. With the current best record in the league it seems like they too are looking to have a follow-up to their past successes. Could we see both Dr. Dre and San Antonio crowned as the kings of their professions come the end of the year? Only time will tell.
Toronto Raptors = Charles Hamilton
28 of 30
The Raptors have had two star players that were supposed to save the franchise. Unfortunately, both Vince Carter and Chris Bosh skipped town and left the team in a rebuilding phase that they can't seem to really get out of. With all that promise you would think they'd have more to show for it, but the NBA is a cruel world. It would seem the rap world is also a cruel. During 2008 and 2009 Charles Hamilton seemed to be a sure thing and success was his to grab. Unfortunately, he was dropped from Interscope records in 2009 and was beat up by a girl on Youtube. Both the artist and the team are trying to make a comeback, but it seems like they're fighting an uphill battle.
Utah Jazz = Outkast
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Andre 3000 and Big Boi form one of the greatest duos in hip hop history. Outkast has won the Grammy award for best rap album twice, for "Stankonia" and "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below". Their dominance of the rap scene in the early and mid 2000s cemented their place as a legendary duo that is still a force to be reckoned with today. The Jazz also sport their own dominant duo. Deron Williams is the best point guard in the league and he is joined by Al Jefferson, who is one of the best big men around. With these two the Jazz have become a team that no one wants to play and they should be able to challenge the Lakers come playoff time.
Washington Wizards = Wale
30 of 30
John Wall is one of the most exciting players in the NBA, but he isn't without his faults. As a young man he needs some time to grow because currently he makes too many mistakes for anyone to take this team seriously. Not only does Wall need to grow, but so does the majority of the team. As it is currently put together this team has worlds of talent in guys like Nick Young and JaVale McGee, but they just make too many dumb plays to be a top team in the East. Wale has shown in his many mixtapes that he has all the talent in the world. Sadly, he was unable to transfer that to his underperforming debut album, "Attention Deficit". Just like the Wizards he has the ability to some day become a force, but for now we have to be satisfied with flashes of brilliance.
Well, that's all the teams. Tell me who you agree with and who you think I should change in the comments.
