The Bucks organization is demanding the NBA do something to curb rapper Drake’s enthusiastic support of the Toronto Raptors during the Eastern Conference Finals series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Raptors evened the series at 2-2 with a 120-102 rout of the Bucks at home on Tuesday.
Drake, who is a global ambassador for his hometown team, celebrated wildly as he heckled Bucks players.
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer wants the NBA to restrain the superstar rapper and keep him off the court.
Budenholzer complains that no other fan is allowed to directly taunt and heckle the opposing team.
“I see it in some timeouts, but I don’t know of any person that’s attending the game that isn’t a participant in the game a coach – I’m sorry, a player or a coach that has access to the court,” Budenholzer told journalists during a conference call on Wednesday. “There’s certainly no place for fans and, you know, whatever it is exactly that Drake is for the Toronto Raptors. You know, to be on the court, there’s boundaries and lines for a reason, and like I said, the league is usually pretty good at being on top of stuff like that.”
The Bucks aren’t the only ones complaining about Drake’s cheerleading during games.
Georgios Dimitropoulos, who represents Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, also called out Drake for taunting his star player, Giannis #34, seen being guarded by Raptors’ superstar Kawhi Leonard in game 3.
Dimitropoulos commented on Drake giving Raptors coach Nick Nurse a massage during Tuesday’s game.
“Imagine a gig & an athlete on VIP seats, right next to the band, stands up on the stage just to show off during the entire game, knowing cameras are on him, occasionally even massaging the singer. Security & him both allow it. Never seen anything as disrespectful as this before,” Dimitropoulos tweeted.
A Milwaukee radio station has banned Drake’s music from the airwaves for the duration of the series.
Drake responded to the criticism by posting an image that showed him on the court during a game. He captioned the image with some emojis, including one of a salt shaker and a Kanye shrug emoji.
He also ‘liked’ a comment by a fan approving his enthusiastic support of his hometown team.
NBA officials have yet to comment on the matter, but the Raptors are appreciative of his support.
Earlier this month, the team gifted Drake with a $769,000 custom diamond sports jacket.
The two teams will meet again on the Bucks’ home court on Thursday, May 23. The winner of the seven-game series will advance to the NBA Finals to face the Golden State Warriors who easily swept the Portland Trail Blazers to win the Western Conference championship.
Photos by Claus Andersen/Getty Images, Gregory Shamus/Getty Images, Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images, Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
