The Sacramento Kings may have picked up a comfortable 122–107 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, but the real headline came from the owner’s box. Kings governor Vivek Ranadivé was spotted courtside wearing a T-shirt with the words “They Not Like Us” — a direct nod to Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping diss track aimed at Canadian rapper Drake.
It was hardly a wardrobe coincidence. Instead, it felt like the latest chapter in the ongoing, and increasingly public, rift between DeMar DeRozan and one of his most famous former supporters.
From Brothers to Barbs
DeRozan’s relationship with Drake once seemed unshakable. Drafted by the Raptors in 2009, the guard quickly became a cornerstone in Toronto and a fan favorite. His friendship with Drake mirrored that bond; when DeRozan was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 2018, the rapper posted a heartfelt tribute on social media, calling him a “brother.”
But things have cooled since then. The tension surfaced last weekend during the Kings’ narrow loss in Toronto, when Drake, appearing on the broadcast of Vince Carter’s jersey retirement, quipped that if the Raptors ever honored DeRozan with a banner, he’d “go up there and pull it down” himself.
DeRozan, never one to shy away from a lighthearted jab, responded with a grin: “He’s got a long way to climb.”
Enter Kendrick Lamar — and Vivek Ranadivé
The spark behind this beef? Music. DeRozan appeared in the video for Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us,” a track born from Lamar’s feud with Drake. He later doubled down by joining Lamar on stage in Los Angeles, singing and dancing as the crowd roared to the song.
Ranadivé’s T-shirt Wednesday night echoed that same anthem, signaling clear support for his newest star. Though DeRozan is just in his first season in Sacramento, the gesture underscored the organization’s loyalty.
Still Friends, At Least Publicly
Despite the headlines, DeRozan insists the tension hasn’t destroyed his friendship with Drake. “Drake’s still my man, none of it changed,” he told The Sacramento Bee in July. “At the end of the day, it’s music, entertainment.”
For now, the feud may live more in symbolism than in substance — T-shirts, lyrics, playful quotes — but with an NBA season’s worth of storylines ahead, it’s clear one thing won’t fade: the crossover between basketball, culture, and hip-hop that keeps fans glued to every twist.
From : Sacramento Kings shirts
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