MIAMI HEAT
Current Rank: 9
Previous Rank: –
The symbiotic relationship between Hip-Hop and sports can be closely observed through the Miami Heat. Court- side at their games has become a who’s who of Hip-Hop with appearances by Drake, Rick Ross, and more. It goes beyond just watching the games, however, as the relationship between LeBron James and Jay Z has resulted in their annual “2 Kings” dinner as the two leaders in their respective realms, where they host the top names in sports and entertainment. LeBron has also teamed up with Dr. Dre, creating his own Beats by Dre headphones for athletes. A real power player, LeBron also has deals with Nike for his highly sought-after sneaker line, as well as deals with Samsung, McDonald’s, and more. Arguably the best player in the world, LeBron James secured his fourth MVP award this year but still puts his team before himself. Taking pay cuts to play together, they’ve managed to put ego aside to work together for a common goal. It’s been quite a year for the “Big 3,” as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh sealed another victory and became the two-time defending NBA champions. Several teams have tweaked their rosters in hopes of dethroning the super group, but the Miami Heat are gunning for a three-peat on the court and more power moves off. —Shaina Auxilly
