Canadian rapper Drake, who is a long-time supporter of the Kentucky basketball and coach John Calipari, made a memorable return to Rupp Arena in Lexington on Sunday. During his comeback, Drake brought out Kentucky guards Rob Dillingham, D.J. Wagner and Kareem Watkins.

The Kentucky basketball superfan has consistently shown his support for the Wildcats, whether through shout-outs in his music or by joining the team for warm-up sessions before games.

Drake's song “Scholarship” notably references the Wildcats with the lyric “and I rock Kentucky blue.”

The day after his performance, Drake recreated a memorable moment from 2014 by posing in the Kentucky film room alongside former Wildcats and current NBA stars Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns.

“Oh hell nah all my brothers left me,” Drake humorously captioned the photo, acknowledging the absence of Booker and Towns from the Kentucky Wildcats.

Drake's unreleased kicks

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During his time on campus, Drake also revealed his unreleased Nike sneakers. In his Instagram post, he can be seen sitting in the film room wearing Kentucky's warmups and the upcoming NOCTA x Nike Hot Step II sneakers.

 

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At the moment, there's no official release date for the NOCTA x Nike Hot Step II sneakers. However, they're anticipated to be available in both white and orange colorways this summer, retailing for $200 in adult sizes.

Since its launch in 2022, Drake's Nike sublabel NOCTA has introduced several models, but this marks the first line to receive a second installment.

While many NCAA teams struggle for attention, Drake brings it directly to Kentucky basketball. As a dedicated fan, he has provided student-athletes with complimentary sneakers and uses his influence to raise the profile of the program.

Drake's affinity for Kentucky started in 2009 when he formed close friendships with John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson, as reported by ESPN's Kelley Carter.