Sports

Drake ruined a once in a generation basketball photo

by Tyler Munro

NBA All-Star weekend descended into Toronto on February 12-14th, and aside from Hogtown’s weather picking those few day to fit into our subzero stereotype, the festivities were a rousing success. Kevin Hart managed to annoy and oversaturate like only he can, the dunk contest was arguably the greatest of all time, and Kobe Bryant’s sycophant-filled retirement tour approached its fever pitch.

And then Drake went and ruined it.

Proudly, Drake acted as host to the litany of NBA legends (past and present) that descended upon the 6 with the kind of enthusiasm, pride and garish goofiness only he can provide. But being Drake, he’s still getting a digital slap on the wrist for ruining what might have otherwise gone down as one of the coolest basketball photos of a generation.

There’s Kobe, protege to Michael Jordan, putting aside his broken body for one last shimmy with Lebron James; they will play their final game against one another before Bryant retires on March 10th. The picture has it all: From Lebron’s sheepish yet admiring grin to the confident, shimmying size-up of the Black Mamba’s ballhandling. Both superstars, each destined to be ingrained as two of the sport’s all time greats, seem to be relishing the moment. This is Allen Iverson crossing up Jordan; this is Shaq leading the fast-break. For basketball fans holding onto every moment in Kobe’s at times saddening final season, it’s a reminder of the NBA Finals dream that never was.

And then there’s Drake, standing in the bottom corner, soft-focused and blurry. His jacket, an otherwise wonderful gesture towards Bryant, is the kind of thing we’ll look back on in decades with the kind of shade we now throw at short shorts.

Of course it’s not Drake’s fault he ruined the picture. Any other fan lucky enough to be courtside for such a moment would be remiss to hold back their excitement, and it’s that kind of childlike bewilderment that makes Drizzy so endearing in the first place.

But the fact that he ruined it is peak Drake.