Creating a Basketball Team Made Entirely of Rappers

Writing the Quavo blog got me to thinking, what's the best starting five you can put together made up entirely of rappers? Now, we've seen some in NBA Celebrity games, charity games and on social media. Some played when they were younger. So there's a good amount of tape to put a squad together.

PG: Quavo

Quavo apparently doesn't have an agreed upon height, I've seen 5'10 and I've seen 6'1". Both are good for a point guard. As you can see in the video above, he seems to have good court vision and passing prowess, perfect for this team. He has a bit of an unorthodox shooting motion but it works for him. He's also a lefty, which may not matter but it's an intangible I like. 

SG: RiFF RAFF

RiFF is 6'2", which isn't bad given he's, you know, not an actual NBA player (though he's said more than once he thinks he could have gone pro if he put his effort into that instead of music). As you can see from the video, he's got a sweet shooting stroke and can lock in from deep. He's got a bit of range on that jumper to. I view him as almost a Kyle Korver type. Don't expect him to drive the lane too much, but he'll pull the trigger from beyond the arc, whether off the dribble or getting a pass from Quavo. RiFF RAFF is the 3-point specialist of the team.

SF: Lil' Dicky

Dicky is only 5'11", but the man has game for days. I think he's a good choice for a small forward, mainly because he can drive. While RiFF is a pure shooter, Dicky has the extra facets to his game. He has handles, can drive and has a soft touch when finishing around the rim. Add in the fact he's wet from anywhere on the floor, and opponents will have to respect that range which opens up the lane a bit, and you have a very good fit for this team. Dicky slashing with Quavo feeding him will be amazing.

PF: The Game

I LOVE The Game's game. I view him as a sort of Draymond Lite. He's 6'4" but has muscles on top of muscles and you know he isn't afraid to bang down low and fight for rebounds. I think that when it really comes down to it, he'd be a pretty gritty player. Based on the video above, you can tell he likes playing close to the basket, but he does have some three point range, which is good for this team since it'll be a bit of a Brad Stevens, 5-out offense. Whereas Quavo is more relaxed, and Dicky and RiFF are more humorous, Game brings the toughness and tenacity to the squad. 

C: 2 Chainz

Standing 6'5" and lanky as all hell, 2 Chainz will start at center for this team. He clearly fears no one considering he posted up KG in the first video. Also, he's maybe the tallest rapper I know of, which helps his case immensely. He played so well in high school that he got a scholarship but left after one year to do the whole music thing. As I have previously stated, we are running an offense that requires spacing, and I think Tity Boi brings that to the table. 

6th Man: Chris Brown

Chris Brown has maybe more footage and highlight reels than some actual NBA and college prospects. The dude LOVES playing ball. He's 6'1", meaning that not his team he can fill in at either guard, and probably small forward as well. So why is he on the bench instead of starting? Well, you'll be shocked to hear that I think Breezy isn't exactly a team player. I think Quavo is a better fit as a starter since he's more a traditional point guard and likes to actually dish the rock. Brown is easily the first guy I bring off the bench if we need a scoring burst though. He's almost like a Lou Williams but in a Jamal Crawford role. He's gonna get buckets, but will do better when he starts on the bench. 

Rest of the Bench: Snoop Dogg, Cam'Ron, J.Cole

Snoop Dogg is our grizzled veteran who brings the experience to the locker room. A guy who can take the younger guys like Quavo under his wing. Think of him a something of a PJ Brown on the 2008 Celtics. He can still give meaningful minutes if needed and won't be a huge cap hit, plus he brings some more length to the team at 6'4" and lanky, which is desperately needed since we are a short squad.

In his prime, Cam was arguably the best out of the entire team. He claims he was ranked in the top 25 players for his high school class (the validity of this claim is disputed). If you have time, I suggest reading this SLAM article on his basketball playing days. Fascinating stuff. Like Snoop, he'd be an older guy on the squad.

J. Cole has seemingly built an entire music persona out of the basketball narrative. Much like Michael Jordan, Cole was also cut from his high school team, but did play two years of varsity ball. He was also a contender to walk on to the team at St. John's but was cut. This article gives a good look into his basketball career. Then there's his dunk in the NBA Celebrity Game:

I think he'd be one of those guys that may not be the most talented, but still good enough, and a guy who just brings all the heart, hustle and desire in the world. He's also 6'3", which makes him a candidate to play as either a bigger small forward or a smaller power forward.