Ranking The Most Notable Athlete-Rappers From Best to Worst
Find out which ballers can spit and which ones should quit in our ranking of athlete-rappers from best to worst.

Image via Complex Original

We all know how it works by now: rappers want to be athletes and athletes want to be rappers. There's something about the intersection of culture between ballers and spitters that not only makes both groups envious of one another, but convinces each side that they can adequately perform at a high level on the other. Have the ability to write a hot 16 and a catchy hook? Who's to say you can't drop 16 off the bench on the Wizards? Have a 40-inch vertical and a killer midrange game? Who's to say you can't make it rapping like a PG-rated Canibus over Tyra Banks vocals?
Sure, for their sake most athletes should stick to rapping in the shower or any other area totally devoid of audio recording equipment, but the same can't be said for them all. Some of them actually got bars. And while the latter part of this list is riddled with physically-gifted humans who should stay as far away from open mics as possible, the first few actually give us hope that being an athlete-rapper won't always end in embarrassment. Anything is possible, right? These are The Most Notable Athlete-Rappers From Best to Worst.
1. Shaquille O'Neal

2. Iman Shumpert

3. Damian Lillard

4. Adrien Broner

Key Track: Versace Freestyle
Key Lyric: "Last night I turned down a threesome but I had a foursome instead/ [describes explicit fornication methods]"
Adrien Broner is the type of guy you just say is, "Iight," not to hate, but because you're not trying to hear him talk shit about how nice he is even though you've just complimented him. Peep his "Versace" freestyle for example. He adapts to Migos' flow well for a relative newcomer, but he's essentially talking about how much better his life is then yours. Rick Ross does the same thing, yet we scream the lyrics to "Stay Schemin'" at random strangers in the club with bliss. But you get the feeling he's just entertaining; Rick Ross cares for today's social issues ya'll! With Adrien Broner? Look at his eyes, man.
5.

6.

Look at his heart, fam.
7.

He definitely isn't playing about taking your girl with no remorse.
8. Stephen Jackson

9. Lou Williams

10. Metta World Peace

11. Delonte West

12. Troy Hudson

13. DeSean Jackson

14. Chris Webber

15. Marquis Daniels

16. Kobe Bryant

17. Deion Sanders

18. Stevie Johnson

19. Allen Iverson

20. Clint Dempsey

21. LeBron James

22. Chris Johnson

23. Randy Savage

24. Steve Francis

25. Tony Parker

26. Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

27. John Cena

28. Roy Jones, Jr.
