The game of basketball and Hip Hop’s similarities run so deep, that rap star are being nabbed by the local NBA teams to do a bit of brand ambassadorship; much more than any other professional sports league.
Dime Magazine recently took the concept even further and drew up some redesigns of NBA logos as rappers to literally illustrate said similarities.
Check out some choice selections of the NBA artwork down below.
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The Notorious B.I.G. / New York Knicks
The thrill has been gone for Knickerbockers basketball but the Black Frank White always excites when you relive his classic music.
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Tupac Shakur / Los Angeles Lakers
To live and die in L.A.
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N.W.A / Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are the best b-ball team currently playing in the Staples Center so they get the nod to align with the Hall of Famers.
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E-40 / Golden State Warriors
40 Watta’s Yay Area squad is looking to capitalize on their record-breaking NBA season…
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Bone Thugs-N-Harmony / Cleveland Cavaliers
…while LeBron James is still looking to bring that first chip back to East 1999.
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Jay Z / Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn, they go hard. Well, not really but the branding is still on-point.
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Kanye West / Chicago Bulls
Perfect timing, seeing that the guy who wore the Benny the Bull suit is retiring.
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Trick Daddy / Miami Heat
Don’t expect to see Birdman rocking this on a shirt anytime soon or more like, not never.
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Snoop Dogg / Denver Nuggets
Leafs by Snoop has the state of Colorado welcoming Tha Doggfather with open arms.
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Lil Wayne / New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans organization should go ahead and set the arrangements to make this one the official banner.
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Freddie Gibbs / Indiana Pacers
Gangsta Gibbs is more partial to the Bulls but Pacers Nation can claim him no problem.
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Wale / Washington Wizards
DC chillin’, PG chillin’.
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KRS-One / San Antonio Spurs
The comparisons between The Blastmaster and Tim Duncan are pretty fitting, given their iconic ironman statuses.
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The Roots / Philadelphia 76ers
The team’s front office might as well swap in the LRC for a couple quarters. They did the opposite of the ’96 Bulls by finishing with a 10-72 record.
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Big Pun / Phoenix Suns
The late, great rhyme beast is far from being an Arizona native but this one fits perfectly.
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Minnesota Timberwolves / Rhymesayers Entertainment
Both are often slept-on but the work ethic is always there.
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Drake / Toronto Raptors
When the “Hotline Bling” can successfully replace the dinosaur, you know the shark has been officially jumped.
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Visit Dime Mag for the complete list.
