The NBA has warned Raptors mega-fan Drake about "the use of bad language" after the rapper and Cleveland's Kendrick Perkins traded angry words during Game 1 of the teams' playoff series, a league source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Kiki Vandeweghe, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, spoke to Raptors president Masai Ujiri about the matter, a league source told Wojnarowski.
Drake, who sits courtside for Toronto's home games in Air Canada Centre and is the face of the Raptors' fan base, and Perkins first had words as the teams left the court at halftime Tuesday night. They also jawed at each other at the end of the game, but were separated before things could escalate.
Perkins, asked about the warning issued to Drake, told ESPN's Dave McMenamin he was "here to support my teammates."
"I'm here to represent the Cleveland Cavaliers," the 6-foot-10 center said. "At the end of the day, it isn't about Perk versus Drake; that doesn't even sound right. It's the Cleveland Cavaliers versus the Toronto Raptors. Besides, what could he possibly do to me? I mean, really. If he leaves me alone, I'll leave him alone, and that's all there is."
Former Raptors guard Jose Calderon stood in front of Drake during the halftime exchange as Cavs teammate JR Smith gently moved Perkins toward the locker room.
USA Today Sports first reported on the NBA's involvement in the matter.
Cleveland's 128-110 Game 2 win tipped off at 6 p.m. Thursday in Toronto on ESPN. Drake was at the game, taking his courtside seat with 2-plus minutes left in the first quarter. The Cavs won the opener of the Eastern Conference semifinal series 113-112 in overtime.
