We are nearly four months into the 2024-2025 NBA season and there is much to discuss. Will the Cleveland Cavaliers win over 70 games this season? Will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally get the nod as the regular season MVP after many believed he was snubbed a year prior? Of course, ESPN talk shows are routinely chugging out content comparing LeBron James to Patrick Mahomes, since that is clearly the most pertinent sports news in an exciting season of basketball. However, what these sports shows are not talking about enough is the latest hit single from LiAngelo “Gelo” Ball. In case you missed it, Ball released a new hit single, “Tweaker,” which, despite its high debut on the Billboard Hot 100, is not the most pleasing on the ears. Unbeknown to some, professional basketball players releasing music is anything but new, with even Shaquille O’Neal releasing music starting in 1993 with “Shaq Diesel.” Considering that I am a self-proclaimed music expert, logging approximately 100,000 minutes on Spotify this past year, I am going to rank the top four active NBA rappers in terms of listenability and skill in this week’s edition of Sargeant’s Orders.
4. Andre Drummond, Drummxnd
Former UConn center, Andre Drummond, whose rapper name is Drummxnd, takes the fourth spot in this competitive space. The former Connecticut big man has a deep bag when it comes to his music game. In some songs, like “Change,” Drummxnd’s music features the ever-growing loverboy melodic rap genre that emcees such as Iann Dior and Juice WRLD demonstrated with their music. Drummond’s lyrics are powerful in such songs and give the listener exactly what they want without sacrificing quality. However, the rapper-ballplayer is far from a one-trick pony. With songs like “Gf,” Drummond employs numerous hooks in his music in a unique, upbeat and energetic manner that empowers the listener as an alternative to the sadder music he releases.
3. Lonzo Ball, Zo
While some only know of Lonzo Ball, aka Zo, for his hit, catchy single Zo2, it does not distract from the fact that Ball does possess some real talent. Perhaps it comes from his rapper “brother” LilDicky Ball, aka Lil Dicky. Despite not being biologically related, Lonzo does share some similarities to his fake brother. Ball demonstrates an ability to command the mic at all times at a high level without depending on the beat. An argument could be made to place him higher on the list for this reason alone. Pleasing to the ears, the former UCLA guard demonstrates he is not dependent on his melodies, which is best demonstrated in his song “Melo Ball 1.” However, even when he does depend on them, such as in Zo2, he makes his song’s the perfect time length, where redundancy doesn’t become an issue.
2. Marvin Bagley III, MB3Five
Not only has Marvin Bagley III put together a solid seven-year career so far, but his rap game is far and few between. The former Duke Blue Devil has it all: high profile features, excellent lyricism and uniqueness. In terms of features, it’s endless. Tory Lanez, YBN Nahmir and even Lil Durk have joined Bagley on a track. However, as is the most important factor of evaluating rappers’ ability is how they perform with these competing forces on their songs. Despite working alongside these industry names, Bagley holds his own and even shines in some regards. His ability to command a beat and not be reliant upon a melody or autotune is more than some other professional rappers can say. Songs like “CROSS MY HEART” and “PATIENCE II” demonstrate these abilities and provide listeners with a song that is short, sweet and repeatable. Of course, a major evaluating factor is how relevant and recent their music is. MB3Five keeps his fans saturated with music, releasing an album just this past summer despite playing basketball full time. Considering his vast and ever-growing discography, there is no reason to believe that new music isn’t on the horizon, which fans can expect to be his best product yet.
1. Damian Lillard, Dame D.O.L.L.A
Perhaps the most well-known rapper on this list, and by far the most talented, is Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard, also known as Dame D.O.L.L.A. Lillard not only features elite vocals that stack up to any big-time rapper in the industry, but his discography is diversified, large and features some high-profile features. Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne and Polo G are just a few A-list rappers that the seven-time NBA All-Star has collaborated with. Even though Lillard regularly collaborates with some of the biggest names in rap, he constantly holds his own, and that is evident in most of his tracks. However, he demonstrates lyricism and voice control on another level on his track “Kobe.”
Featuring creative, catchy lyrics that all hoopers can bump, such as, “I’on even touch the rim, when I pull up it’s just swish. Backboard, what? Only thing I know is swish.” Lillard explores a niche area of music that mainstream rap and hip-hop have not done much with. Lillard raps with a swagger and confidence that he is a top-flight point guard, and this energy is palpable throughout his song. As talented as the other NBA rappers are on this list, they do not compare to Dame D.O.L.L.A, who is truly in a league of his own, both on the court and in the studio.