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The NBA, which has been around since the 1940s, has celebrity fans galore. Many of these celebrities grew up watching their hometown teams and have been spotted sitting courtside in NBA games on numerous occasions.
Every NBA franchise holds bragging rights about their celebrity fans, whose presence increases the fame and glamor of the NBA.
Top ten celebrity fans in the NBA
From Hollywood stars in Los Angeles and New York to tech tycoons and billionaires in San Francisco, everyone rejoices when their NBA team wins a game.
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However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019-20 NBA season concluded in the Orlando bubble without any fans in attendance. Nevertheless, let us have a look at ten celebrities who are die-hard fans of NBA teams.
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#1 Jack Nicholson - LA Lakers
There is probably no other name that deserved to be on top of this list other than Jack Nicholson.
Nicholson has been a season ticket holder for the LA Lakers since 1970 and has been spotted courtside wearing the franchise's famous purple and gold jersey on numerous occasions.
He has been supporting the LA Lakers since Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ran the Showtime Lakers at the Forum.
Nicholson has been present during most of the franchise's big moments. He has seen Magic Johnson win five rings, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal doing the three-peat and most recently LeBron James winning the LA Lakers' 17th title.
#2 Spike Lee - New York Knicks
One of the downsides of being a die-hard fan is that you have to defend your team even during losses. Such misfortune has befallen Spike Lee, who has been a New York Knicks superfan for more than 50 years.
He hasn't seen his favorite team win a title since 1973 but is regarded as one of the franchise's biggest supporters.
If you're ever-present in Madison Square Garden or watching the Knicks on television, you are undoubtedly going to spot Spike Lee cheering for his New York City team.
#3 Barack Obama - Chicago Bulls
If you are the President of the United States of America, you rarely have the luxury to attend or watch basketball games. However, former President Barack Obama grew up watching the NBA and found a way to attend games whenever he got the chance.
A former Chicago resident, Obama has been a senator who has represented Illinois and is also a hardcore Chicago Bulls fan in the NBA.
Barack Obama, who has said on several occasions that he wants LeBron James to join his hometown NBA team Chicago Bulls, was often seen playing basketball in the White House court.
An entire book - The Audacity of Hoop: Basketball and the Age of Obama - was written to describe Barcak Obama's love for the game and how it influenced his life.
#4 Drake - Toronto Raptors
There isn't a doubt in anyone's mind that the biggest fan of the Toronto Raptors is Canadian rapper Drake.
He has supported the Raptors for many years and has a good relationship with the franchise's head coach Nick Nurse and the players. Drake has Toronto Raptors merchandise filled in his Toronto mansion, along with his own 2019 NBA championship ring.
Drake designed the team's "We The North" jerseys and has such a good relationship with the franchise that the team hired the rapper in 2013 as their global ambassador and renamed their practice facility the 'OVO Athletic Centre' in honor of the record label Drake runs.
#5 Jay-Z - Brooklyn Nets
Jay-Z is one of the NBA's biggest fans. He has been present during the league's biggest events, such as Kobe Bryant's retirement and numerous NBA Finals.
Recently, he owned a stake in an NBA team, that of the Brooklyn Nets. He also owns a stake in the Barclays Center, the home of the Nets, and was apparently involved in convincing Kevin Durant to join his favorite NBA team in 2019.
Jay-Z once rapped "The Nets could go 0-for-82 and I’d look at you like, This sh** gravy", implying he'll be a supporter even if they lose every game of the season.
He was born in Brooklyn, New York and has been the team's fan ever since they moved from New Jersey to his hometown.
#6 Beyonce - Houston Rockets
Although her husband is a Brooklyn Nets fan, Beyonce has been a Houston Rockets fan since her childhood. She was born in Houston, Texas and has often been spotted courtside in the Toyota Center cheering for James Harden.
She frequently wears Rockets' gear while performing at her shows.
The singer, also known as 'Queen', recently expressed her interest in buying a stake in the Houston Rockets franchise in 2017. Although nothing apparently materialized in this regard, she is still regarded as one of the team's most loyal fans.
Houston Nets owner Tilman Fertitta once told a Bloomberg podcast:
“It’s a compliment to have somebody like Beyoncé want to be a part of your team.”
#7 Eminem - Detroit Pistons
If you want to find a Detroit Pistons fan, you need to look no further than Detroit rapper Eminem.
Marshall Mathers III, commonly known as Eminem, has been a Detroit icon for years. He has represented the city throughout his career and has lived at the infamous 8 Mile Road in Detroit, Michigan.
If you want to hype up the crowd before an NBA game at your new arena, it would be hard to find a better person to do the job than Eminem.
When the Pistons moved to Little Caesars Arena from their old home court, Eminem was present representing the team and was also spotted at the 2004 NBA Finals when the team won its last NBA title.
#8 Tiger Woods - Orlando Magic
When Golf legend Tiger Woods lived in Orlando, he was a regular attendee at Orlando Magic's NBA games.
He held season tickets for the franchise for many years and was a fan favorite in the arena, with everyone cheering for him whenever his face was shown on the jumbotron.
Tiger Woods, who has won 15 major golf championships, is a former Orlando resident, and his presence at the Amway Center cheered up the Orlando Magic fans even during losses.
#9 Snoop Dogg - LA Lakers
California rapper Snoop Dogg is undoubtedly one of the biggest fans of the LA Lakers franchise.
He gets called on sports debate shows as a LA Laker expert; he has been present in all of the Lakers' big moments in the NBA in recent times and is often seen representing the team in other arenas as well.
There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Snoop Dogg is an LA Lakers fan. The rapper wears Lakers jerseys in concerts where he performs in front of thousands of people.
He owns cars that he has colored purple and gold. Most recently, he got a tattoo to celebrate the franchise's 17th NBA title. Snoop Dogg publicly curses anyone who says anything against his favorite NBA team.
#10 Kevin Hart - Philadelphia 76ers
Comedian Kevin Hart is probably the most vocal Philadelphia 76ers fan. His courtside behavior is so infamous that fans have often requested that he be banned.
Hart has been seen trash-talking opponent players, arguing with referees and celebrating enthusiastically when he is courtside in Wells Fargo Center.
Kevin Hart has often been called on to sports shows and podcasts to give his opinion about the 76ers.
A Philadelphia native, Kevin Hart also hosts a show called 'Cold as Balls', where he invites athletes and other sports personalities for interviews. He is often seen defending his hometown team, the 76ers (NBA) and the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL).
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