Getting a tattoo of someone is a bold move, as Drake did with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the new one covered up his tattoo of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
During a profile interview with GQ, Gilgeous-Alexander reacted to Drake's new tattoo of him. He seems flattered by the gesture, supporting the rapper.
I understand why it might seem crazy that Drake tattooed me on his arm,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But to me, that’s just the homie.”
However, Gilgeous-Alexander wouldn't entertain any notion of Drake shading James by covering him up with his latest tattoo. “Yeah, I don’t know about all that,” he said to GQ. “I don't ask questions.”
During a concert in July 2025, Drake debuted his tattoo of Gilgeous-Alexander. His new tattoo is of Gilgeous-Alexander's jersey from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Drake has plenty of tattoos, and Gilgeous-Alexander joins elite company. However, it did come at the expense of James, who was effectively erased with the arrival of Gilgeous-Alexander's tattoo.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become a star with the Thunder
Gilgeous-Alexander is heading into his eighth season with the Thunder. He was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.
However, he was almost immediately traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. After one year with the Clippers, Gilgeous-Alexander was traded to the Thunder.
Since joining the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the NBA's top stars. 2025 was his best year — he led the league by averaging 32.7 points, five rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.
He was named NBA MVP for his efforts. He was also named All-NBA First-Team for the third straight year. Gilgeous-Alexander also helped lead the Thunder to an NBA Finals win.
Throughout the playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 29.9 points per game. They swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs before beating the Denver Nuggets in seven games. The Thunder then beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to advance to the NBA Finals.
The Thunder had a tough test against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. While the Pacers lost Tyrese Haliburton during the series, they took the Thunder to seven games.
