Die-hard fans of the Los Angeles Lakers were probably quick to direct their anger at Drake following their unexpected first-round exit against the Phoenix Suns, but perhaps it wasn't the Toronto artist's fabled "Drake Curse" that sent LeBron James on an early vacation. It might have actually been J. Cole's fault, as his name-drops on The Off-Season seem to have jinxed several professional basketball players.
According to Bolavip, every NBA player that Cole mentioned on his recent chart-topping studio album has been eliminated from the NBA playoffs. Steph Curry and Dennis Smith Jr. were shouted out on "9 5 . s o u t h" and "a m a r i," respectively, and they both failed to even reach the playoffs. Curry and the Warriors couldn't claw their way out of the Play-In Tournament, and Smith Jr. and the Detroit Pistons finished the season at last place in the Eastern Conference.
Two other players that received huge mentions on The Off-Season were Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and Washington Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook, in "m y . l i f e" and "a m a r i," respectively. Both Morant and Westbrook were eliminated during the first round of the playoffs, but neither of their teams was projected to make deep playoff runs anyways.
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Bolavip's conspiracy theory strengthens, however, when considering Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazer's devastating defeat at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. One of Lillard's post-game interviews from the NBA Bubble last summer was prominently sampled in "p u n c h i n ’ . t h e . c l o c k," and lo and behold, the Trail Blazer point guard's playoff heroics were surprisingly not enough to save him and his team from a first-round elimination.
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The most convincing proof that J. Cole may have actually jinxed NBA players on The Off-Season is LeBron James' career first of being sent home during the first round of the playoffs. On "1 0 0 . m i l," Cole rapped, "Can't leave the game yet, feel like LeBron," and LeBron and the Lakers were quickly defeated in six games by the Phoenix Suns.
What do you think — is it just a coincidence or would LeBron and the Lakers still be powering through another championship run had it not been for J. Cole's latest album?
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