There are two things among a million that DeMar DeRozan is famous for.
One is being a fantastic basketball player. The USC product has been one of the most offensively consistent players ever since the Toronto Raptors drafted him ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. He’s a leading advocate of the midrange shot who has made his living being an unstoppable scorer for the teams he’s played for.
Another facet of his being is his roots. Everyone knew he grew up in Compton, one of the most notorious cities in the USA for its rampant gang culture. The fact that such a basketball player emerged from such a challenging environment is a testament to him and his support system while also serving as an inspiration to the city’s youth.
These two aspects of his life came to a head when Drake (a Toronto native and a huge Raptors fan) and Kendrick Lamar (a rapper from Compton) came into lyrical blows earlier this year. The epic rap beef featured multiple outstanding tracks, but almost everyone would agree that KDot won the beef.
Some fans wondered how DeRozan felt while all of this was happening. It was known that DeRozan built a close friendship with Drake, but his ties to his childhood home was also pulling at his heartstrings.
He made a bold declaration when he danced with other LA natives at Kendrick’s Pop Out concert on Juneteenth, which broke the hearts of some Toronto fans.
However, the surprises didn’t stop there as the guard’s most recent public appearance seems to have ended whatever goodwill was left between him and the Hotline Bling singer.
Drake fans pull out previous DeMar DeRozan comment after appearing on Not Like Us video
He made his stance clear on the Kendrick-Drake beef when he made a viral cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us music video. The song is a massive earworm that called out the former Degrassi actor and his associates at his OVO label for suspicious activity around minors.
His appearance burned any bridges he may have had with the One Dance hitmaker and announced that his loyalties lie with his hometown.
The shocking appearance had fans circle back to a moment when DeRozan made an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay and talked about how Drake will have a friend in him:
.@DeMar_DeRozan on his friendship with @Drake:
“No matter what, when it comes to Drake, he’ll forever have a friend in me and loyalty out of me. He cared and was there for me when everything was going crazy.” pic.twitter.com/nmjC2vibZz
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) July 27, 2021
Fans immediately hounded the post with comments on how poorly his message aged. Others criticized the former Toronto Raptor for not showing loyalty.
While we may not know what is the actual score, we at least know that the lines were drawn, and DeMar chose to stick with the place he’s always called home.
Does DeMar DeRozan’s Not Like Us appearance hint at an NBA homecoming?
While DeRozan’s off-court endeavors are headline-grabbing, many NBA fans are looking at this as a sign that DeRozan may be headed back to LA.
The Lakers are reportedly pursuing the guard, and a trade may be in the cards. However, the Clippers could also make a move after Paul George’s departure.
It’s easy to see why these two teams would love DeRozan in their team. He averaged 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists last season while shooting 48.0% on the floor and 33.3% from deep. He can provide the offensive firepower both squads clearly lack.
Whether either team manages to pick him up from Chicago is anyone’s guess, but DeMar DeRozan made it clear that he loves LA. He might be headed home sooner than we may think.
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