Toronto's Drake brings A-game to NBA Awards
Rapper throws up buckets and bricks as host of 1st televised gala
Canadian rapper Champagne Papi, ahem, Drake brought his A-game as the host of the first televised NBA Awards.
But while he started with a swish ... and a couple of great roasts of Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan ...
The handshake game is strong with <a href="https://twitter.com/Drake">@Drake</a> & Will Ferrell 👊<br><br>If you're seeing this, it's far from too late. The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a> are on TNT NOW! <a href="https://t.co/yCJYGrC4hX">pic.twitter.com/yCJYGrC4hX</a>
—@NBAonTNTNBA awards off to a good start. Demar I watch Demar I laugh. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a>
—@Josh_Hill23He went to the bottom with a questionable joke about slavery.Â
Yikes, Drake opened the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a> with a slave joke. <a href="https://t.co/9Adtf5qGzA">pic.twitter.com/9Adtf5qGzA</a>
—@devonharipalSo you start the night off with a slave joke.... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a>
—@Mr_JStricklandBut he regained his footing, throwing shade around the room full of the league's greatest stars.
First there were back-to-back shots at Golden State's Draymond Green and Cleveland's LeBron James.
Drake roasting Dray & LeBron 😂 <a href="https://t.co/3eIzcezfPD">pic.twitter.com/3eIzcezfPD</a>
—@GoIdenStateBefore moving on to TNT's halftime crew.
"When you hear the names, Kenny, Ernie, Shaq and Chuck, you think of black excellence... and Ernie." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a> <a href="https://t.co/N0Gx3dB5MK">pic.twitter.com/N0Gx3dB5MK</a>
—@NBAonTNTWhich prompted this shot from Kenny Smith, a cryptic reference to whether Drake writes his own lyrics.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/TheJetOnTNT">@TheJetOnTNT</a> couldn't help himself after <a href="https://twitter.com/Drake">@Drake</a>'s opening at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a> 👀 <a href="https://t.co/jNq9smFAOo">pic.twitter.com/jNq9smFAOo</a>
—@NBAonTNTAnd an even sharper retort from the newest resident of Toronto's tony Bridle Path. After all, Drake is no stranger to fake people showing fake love to him.
Shots fired at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a><br><br>😂 <a href="https://t.co/dWFmfVP8aJ">pic.twitter.com/dWFmfVP8aJ</a>
—@NBAonTNTBut outside a later appearance from Nicki Minaj, the evening settled into a typical award show of awkward presentations and clumsy speeches.
We suspect Drizzy was happy with the night, though.
Drake knows what it is. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash">#NBAAwards</a> <a href="https://t.co/7b1FTxokPE">pic.twitter.com/7b1FTxokPE</a>
—@asiadoesit