DeMar DeRozan is still currently an NBA free agent. It seems as if the Chicago Bulls will move on from him. Numerous teams have been rumored to look to bring him on via a sign-and-trade. The six-time All-Star is seen by most as the best-unsigned player remaining.
The 34-year-old DeRozan seems to not be sweating over the uncertainty of his next season. On the Fourth of July, rapper Kendrick Lamar dropped the video for his hit diss track against Drake “Not Like Us.” Making a cameo in the video is DeRozan.
Drake’s Longtime NBA Ally Featured In Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Video
Both DeRozan And Lamar Grew Up In Compton
Both DeRozan and Lamar were born and raised in Compton, California. They both went to high school in Compton, albeit at different high schools. Lamar, 37, is a little more than two years older than DeRozan.
In “Not Like Us”, DeRozan is name-dropped by Lamar with the line, “I’m glad Deroz’ came home, y’all didn’t deserve him neither.” It is at that part of the song (at the 2:43 mark of the music video) that DeRozan first appears. Drake is from Toronto, and he is a well-known big supporter of the Toronto Raptors. The line mentioning DeRozan is referring to Lamar being happy that DeRozan was able to leave Drake’s favorite team.
DeMar DeRozan in the Kendrick Lamar “Not Like Us” music video. 🔥
(h/t @rapworldbr)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 4, 2024
DeRozan was drafted by the Raptors with the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He spent his first nine seasons with Toronto making four All-Star appearances. He was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2018 offseason. DeRozan is Toronto’s franchise all-time leader in both games played and points scored.
It had to sting Drake a bit to see a long-term ally featured in a video of a song that was so disparaging of him. As of this writing, the “Not Like Us” video now has over 15 million views after just 18 hours on Kendrick Lamar’s YouTube channel.
Where Will DeRozan Play Next Season?
Despite being 15 seasons deep in his NBA career and turning 35 years old on August 7, DeRozan is still a highly sought-after player. In his three seasons with Chicago, the 6-foot-6 forward averaged 25.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. Three of his four highest scoring averages came during his three years with the Bulls (including a career-high 27.9 in 2021-22). DeRozan finished 10th in MVP voting in the 2021-22 season. He has come up in the clutch numerous times with Chicago. That is further evidenced by his finishes of third in Clutch Player of the Year voting in 2022-23 and second last season.
Of course, by showing up in the Lamar video in California, there are those who believe it could lead to him joining the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have struck out in free agency thus far looking for a sidekick alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Other teams that have been linked to DeRozan include the Sacramento Kings, Spurs, and Miami Heat.
In 1,110 career regular season games, DeRozan has posted per-game averages of 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. His 23,582 career points place him 31st all-time in NBA history.
