DeMar DeRozan concluded his 2025-26 NBA season with the Sacramento Kings, but as he watches the playoffs from home, he finds himself under fire from Drake. The Toronto rapper's newly released Iceman LP includes a track that mocks DeRozan's postseason shortcomings.
Drake's Diss Track Targets DeRozan's Playoff Legacy
On the song National Treasures, Drake raps: "When you was part of the team, we used to be planning our Mexico trips in the spring / We must've been dealin' the spur of the moment / Cause why did we think you could get us a ring?" The lyrics reference DeRozan's inability to lead the Raptors to a championship, contrasting with the team's success after trading him for Kawhi Leonard in 2018.
Drake continues: "They braggin' 'bout how you went home, the f*** are they on / Crodie, we threw 'em away / G Pop sent us a real one from Diego / And next thing we knew, we was doin' parades." The verse underscores the Raptors' 2019 NBA title win following the trade.
Background of the Feud
Drake and DeRozan were once close friends, but their relationship soured in 2024 when DeRozan appeared onstage with Kendrick Lamar during a performance of Not Like Us, a diss track aimed at Drake. DeRozan also appeared in the song's music video, which included the lyric: "I'm glad DeRoz' came home, y'all didn't deserve him neither." After that, Drake unfollowed DeRozan on social media.
Despite the public rift, DeRozan initially maintained their friendship, telling The Sacramento Bee: "Drake's still my man, still my man, none of it changed." However, he later called Lamar "family" in an interview with Sacramento's Fox40, saying: "We're from the same city, we grew up d--n near in the same neighborhood. ... It's always been there."
Drake Also Targets LeBron James
On another track, Make Them Remember, Drake takes aim at LeBron James for attending the same Lamar concert. He raps: "I shouldn't even be shocked to see you in that arena / Because you always made your career off of switchin' teams up," referencing James' moves between the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Notably, Drake appears to remain on good terms with Kyle Lowry, DeRozan's former teammate, who shared the Iceman album cover on his Instagram Story.
Escalating Tensions
During the 2024-25 season, when the Kings visited Toronto, Drake made his disdain clear. On a night the Raptors honored Vince Carter, Drake called DeRozan a "goof" and threatened: "If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I'll go up there and pull it down myself." After the Raptors' 131-128 win, DeRozan responded: "He's going to have a long way to climb. Tell him good luck." Fans also noticed Drake waving bye-bye from courtside after DeRozan missed a potential game-tying shot.
DeRozan, aware of the leaked track, took the high road in an October 2024 interview with The Sacramento Bee: "What I did there, I put my life on the line every single moment I stepped on the court. Nothing or nobody could ever take that away. I don't get caught up in shenanigans or all the bull crap that comes with it."
The feud marks a dramatic shift from their once-close bond, which included a joint Slam magazine cover in 2016 and DeRozan seeking Drake's advice after his trade. But as Drake's new album makes clear, those days are long gone.
