15 Rappers and Their NBA Equivalents

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You kind of worry whether or not they're in on the joke. Then when you read more about their endeavors you get the stunning realization that they're not. Both Royce White and Papoose have this weird, distorted sense of their relevancy, and the reason for that is lost on far too many people. They both don't do much of anything and find logic in dissing those who are. The two are completely unaware of the term "irony." White's anxiety disorder suspiciously became a big factor after he signed his $3.3 million guaranteed contract with Houston. He didn't play a single NBA game because of those mental issues, but still had time to fire shots at Kevin Durant and crew during their playoff series against the Rockets. Papoose's shots at Kendrick Lamar are even more bizarre since Lamar's the one who helped Papoose crash Summer Jam. Folks didn't even know The Nacirema Dream was a thing until his performance.

Durant and Lamar responded to the two with the same way most people did: By not taking them seriously.

There are two things you can count on from J.R. Smith and Lil Wayne: remaining turnt up and being inconsistent. Their inconsistency in 2013 has led to more misses than hits, literally in Smith's case as he had a poor .331 field goal percentage during the playoffs. Lil Wayne had some strong offerings on I Am Not a Human Being II and a few solid verses on Dedication 5, but is going through dozens of average songs worth those hits? And do they make up for the Paris Hilton debacle on "Good Time?" Answers may lead more toward the no side. You can definitely catch the two clubbing away their troubles though. You can also catch the words "Young Money" tattooed on Smith's neck. One thing is for sure, Weezy and Earl could care less what anybody thinks. They'll do them no matter what and you have to respect that.

You know what happens when Nas strays to far away from his lane? You get "Nastradamus." You don't want "Nastradamus." You'd generally want Nas in that street poet/philosopher mode, as that's where he's always been at his best. Tim Duncan knew always to stay in his own lane, which is why he's one of the most consistent and reliable NBA players of all time. The "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mantra is cliche, but Duncan is practically the living embodiment of that belief. Bank shots and fundamentals just happen to work for Duncan, and straightforward narratives and introspection happen to work for Nas. Fortunately, Nas has stuck to that formula more often than not. Both guys are the most consistent in what they do.

We're not sure if Garnett is going to bring the same type of intensity in Brooklyn, but he really put on for his team back in his Celtics days. Many question the value of loyalty in today's era, but you can't question KG's. The soon-to-be Hall of Famer once said "If it's up to me. I will live and die green all day." That's not too far from what Meek Mill raps on Dreams and Nightmares: "Double M, yeah that's my team, Rozay the captain, I'm the lieutenant." He mentions his extremely expensive cars soon after, which brings us to another point. Both like to talk shit. A lot. Garnett is the man who allegedly told Tim Duncan "Happy Mother's Day, motherfucker" in the first round of the the 1999 playoffs—Duncan's mother died a day before his 14th birthday. He also allegedly told Carmelo Anthony his wife tasted like Honey Nut Cheerios.

Meek Mill didn't cross the "Mother's Day" joke line, but he does detail what he will do to your girl. He explains in "Dope Dealer" that he'll get your girl pregnant. He also takes your girl, refuses to give her back, and taunts you about it on "Levels." And they both do it by screaming at the top of their lungs.

J. Cole was supposed to have next before Kendrick Lamar did after his string of mixtapes built a solid amount of hype. John Wall was supposed be the next star to watch when he was drafted in 2010 instead of just Kyrie Irving and Blake Griffin. However, J. Cole's debut studio album was decent, but forgettable and John Wall was cursed with an anemic Wizards squad that couldn't hide his inconsistent jumper. Things are looking up for the two though. J. Cole's second album, Born Sinner, actually ended up selling more than Yeezus and Wall is playing on a five-year, $80 million contract extension with the Wizards. They're now at least in a position to keep themsleves relevant in the public eye.

Here are two pretty likeable guys in relatively small markets. Kevin Love is unquestionably a solid forward with a good jumper, but the casual sports fan isn't going to go out of their way to watch a Timberwolves game. It's a similar deal when it comes to Action Bronson, who's built a solid discography but isn't really focused on branching out to a larger, mainstream audience as he sticks to being independent. Those who do see them perform, however, know they're one of the best at their respective crafts.

Zach Randolph acts as the in-the-paint representation of Rick Ross's bawse persona. Like Rozay on TMZ, Randolph takes over the paint as if it was always his domain to begin with. He bodies opponents down in the blocks and constantly outworks them for the rebound. A glance through Rick Ross' lyrics show he's totally about that work. A lot of the time it's the illegal kind but still. Ross' and Randolph's games revolve around asserting dominance.

What makes Riff Raff's and Chris "Birdman" Andersen's connection interesting is how they just happen to be around the right people no matter how unlikeable they're to some. Andersen was a member of last year's champion Heat team, and his most notable contribution was an ugly flagrant foul against the Pacers. Riff Raff somehow became cool with Drake (read onward through the list to find out how this all somehow fits) and Diplo. What exactly do they see in him is anyone's guess, but somehow Riff Raff—like Andersen, a champion—is relevant. And they're both covered in tattoos to help bring attention to their respective crafts.

Dwyane Wade was actually a very likeable player back when he willed the Heat to a championship against the Dallas Mavericks in 2006. A lot of the love went away when Chris Bosh and LeBron James came into town in 2010. Wade appeared evil by association, but with two extra championship rings, we think he probably doesn't care all that much.

Wale also made a similar switch to heel when he saved his career by teaming up with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group. Attention: Deficit was respected by backpackers—less so than The Mixtape About Nothing—but it wasn't enough to save him from getting dropped by Interscope. Wale got his highest Hot 100 charting single at that point with "Lotus Flower Bomb," and this year, he got his first No. 1 album with The Gifted. All while becoming one of the most hated on (and defensive) rappers in the game. Can't win them all, we suppose.

Young n' gettin' it is perhaps the best way to describe these two stars. A$AP Rocky won't be the No. 1 rap artist with Drake and Kendrick dominating sales and neither will Irving be the No. 1 guy because of LeBron James and Kevin Durant's existence. They don't sulk at this idea though, the two have too much flash for that. Irving has got some attention thrown his way by destroying ankles and scoring at will. A$AP Rocky has been pretty much having fun being A$AP Rocky. The two don't need accolades to stunt on the competition.

The two don't need much acting lessons either. Irving played the legendary Uncle Drew in those series of Pepsi commercials and Rocky played a friend in Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home." We just hope the latter actually survived the ensuing shootout.

The rate at which Carmelo Anthony and Pusha T came up in the scene isn't too far apart. Pusha T made a near-immediate splash when he debuted with "Grindin"—the Clipse's first single. Anthony, on the other hand, only needed his freshman season to lead Syracuse to win their first and only National championship and only needed one year to prove he's a solid offensive threat by averaging just over 20 points in his rookie season. Both Anthony and Pusha T have been in the game for a decade, and while they're both extremely compotent in what they do, they both have the same knock against them. They've both been described as one-dimensional with Push sticking to his coke rap lane and Anthony being typecast as a pure scorer. Another thing they have in common? They're both fun as hell to watch.

It seems like such a long time ago when Kobe Bryant's and Jay Z's names weren't synonymous with greatness. Back in the day, Bryant was merely an upstart rookie coming up near the end of Jordan's dominance while Jay Z played second fiddle to Biggie. Both vets were steadily gaining mainstream and critical attention at the tail end of the '90s before they reached their dominating peaks at the turn of the millenium. As Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal ruled the NBA with three straight championships, Jay Z began a great run of albums that started with The Dynasty: Rock La Familia, dropped a classic in The Blueprint, and ended with what was supposed to be his final act in 2003's The Black Album.

They both also had to deal with the crumbling of their respective dynasties as well. Bryant and O'Neal split and Roc-A-Fella wasn't forever. So the equivalents decided to do what any legend in the making would do: Carry the dynasties themselves. Bryant led the Lakers into being perennial playoff contenders eventually winning two more rings, while Jay Z kept the Roc alive through outstanding guest verses (see: "Diamonds Are Forever" (Remix)) and continuing to sell millions of records. The two are still leaders in the game while in the twilight of their careers, and are still considered the kings of their occupations.

Kanye West and Russell Westbrook play the more hotheaded characters to their much more cool-headed counterparts (Jay Z and Kevin Durant). Both are incredibly skilled at their respective field but what also sets them apart is their loud off-the-court behavior. This is something Durant noted in an ESPN interview: "I call him Sasha Fierce. On the court, he's a fierce competitor. Off the court, he's chilling in front of the mirror, making sure he got the right lip balm on." Furiousity is something West has shown time after time, especially with the famous Zane Lowe interview.

Then there's their fashion game. Both guys like to take huge risks and get criticized for it. Still they carry on and continue to be trendsetters. Westbrook likes to wear loud colors and different types of cuts while Kanye is either extra casual or just plain extra like rocking kilts extra. But you can't phase them, both are extremely confident and don't care what people think.

The Drake/Kendrick Lamar and LeBron James/Kevin Durant relationship are alike in that it's those two and then everybody else. For now, Durant will have to settle for being the No. 2 best player in the world with James reigning over him with four regular season MVPs and two championships, like how Drake rules over Lamar in a broader sense with record sales and mainstream accessibility. Lamar and Durant aren't alike just for being runner ups. The respect for their games are high and the skill level at their respective crafts is extraordinarily lethal, plus both are regarded as the people's champs. And although they both at least seem humble when they're not performing, they both display that killer instinct.

When Russell Westbrook went down during the playoffs, Durant simply said playing without him will be like play streetball. The dude was still ready for war. For Lamar, look no further than the world-stopping "Control" and BET Cypher verses. You almost feel bad for the competition since the two still have a lot of potential and are already making such noise at a young age.

There's plenty of reasons to rag on LeBron James and Drake. 'Bron's hairline is receeding. Drake's voice is too nasally. They're corny at times. Most reasons are unreasonable though. James and Drake are still going to be the most popular guys in their fields despite these "flaws." The two are at the peak of their professions.

Their paths to the top weren't that dissimilar either. James and Drake were gifted early on, but thrust into undesirable circumstances. Drake was trying to succeed in a genre whose narrative is dependent on the portrayal of the struggle or overcoming something. For many, Drake's only struggle was when he took a bullet in the back on Degrassi. James had that $90 million Nike deal, but was tasked with flourishing in a city who's claim to sports fame rested on being the victims of its greatest moments. Like Drake's existence, James became one of his profession's most hated on superstars (perhaps deservedly so).

Still, the two did what they came to do: flourish. Their honed versatility is a big reason behind their accomplishments. Take Care was buoyed by Drake's improved rapping ability in addition to his ear for hits. James averaged less points in his two championship seasons than he did with the Cavaliers, finding value in being a distributor and focusing on defense. Old habits die hard though. Drake will simplify his verses for the sake of hits ("Started From the Bottom") and James will catch bodies if he has to (R.I.P. Jason Terry). They do what they gotta do, which is why they're at the top. They seem quite compatable, too. Have you ever seen Drake (or anybody for that matter) look so happy to meet their counterpart?