Among the many those on the fringe of the Kentucky men’s basketball team that won the National Championship this year is none other than Drake, hip-hop artist extraordinaire. And he has the jewelry to prove it. Drake posted on Instagram his personalized Kentucky championship ring, replete with his nickname — “Drizzy” — etched on the side of it.
How, you wonder, did Drake receive a ring when he didn’t draw up a single play or score any baskets last season? Well, Yahoo! Sports reports that Drake has become one of Kentucky’s most visible celebrity fans since the arrival of John Calipari three years ago.
Here are some of the examples of his connection: Drake coached one of the intrasquad teams at Big Blue Madness in 2009. He sat behind the bench during the 2010 NCAA Tournament. And he invited Calipari and the entire Wildcats team on stage with him during a concert in Lexington two years ago, even leading a C-A-T-S cheer and performing the John Wall dance on stage.
“They gave me a chance to actually come in and talk to them early in the season,” Drake told CoachCal.com in 2010. “Just them listening to me, I think we all connected. They’re all my boys. This is my family.”
Actress Ashley Judd is about as devout a Kentucky fan as you can find. She paints her face at games and travels with the team when her schedule allows. No word on whether she has a customized championship ring from this year’s title — or any other. Actor Jack Nicholson has to have received a ring from the Lakers after at least one of their championships considering he has been a courtside regular at their games for decades. Right? Who knows?
What we do know is Drake has the Kentucky bling.
