The Mavericks’ star-studded backcourt of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving might have fallen just short of a championship in June, but they clearly made a strong impression on Eminem. The legendary rapper celebrated the release of his “The Death of Slim Shady,” his first album in four years, on Friday. The release coincided with the unveiling of a bonus track titled “Kyrie and Luka,” which quickly caught the attention of basketball fans.
While “Kyrie and Luka” didn’t make it onto the album proper, the song is another chapter in the rise of the Mavericks’ All-Star duo. There was plenty of uncertainty surrounding the decision to pair Doncic with Irving in 2023, and there was even more uncertainty when Dallas committed to a long-term contract with Irving despite missing the playoffs in 2023.
Doncic and Irving proved any doubters wrong this past season, reaching the NBA Finals as the No. 5 seed in the West, and the pairing is now immortalized in an Eminem track.
NBA fans might expect a song titled “Kyrie and Luka” to be littered with basketball references. That’s not exactly the case here. “Kyrie and Luka” heavily features 2 Chainz, so the best theory might be that Eminem sees the duo of himself and 2 Chainz as rap’s version of the Mavericks’ Irving and Doncic pairing, which has been labeled one of the best in the NBA.
The track does feature a few basketball references, including a direct mention of Irving. “Feel like Kyrie, I got this s— handled,” 2 Chainz says about midway through the song. Irving’s handles are widely considered some of the best in NBA history.
The other NBA reference isn’t Doncic, though; it’s Knicks All-Star Julius Randle. “While things are goin’ left like Julius Randle,” 2 Chainz says just before mentioning Irving. The Randle name-drop isn’t totally random, as the forward was born in Dallas. 2 Chainz doesn’t have any direct ties to Dallas, but Eminem has showed some love to the Dallas Cowboys during his career despite being an ardent Lions fan. Regardless, the track certainly seems to have been made with Dallas in mind.
Eminem is a well-known sports fan. From his strong support during the Lions’ recent playoff run to his infamous interview during a Michigan-Notre Dame football game, most of his allegiances lie within his native Michigan. Eminem has also performed before Pistons games, though he understandably hasn’t been seen supporting the Pistons as much he’s been around the Lions.
Whether he’s a diehard Pistons fan or not, Eminem appears to have plenty of admiration for the Mavericks’ dynamic backcourt that came within three wins of a championship this season.
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