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Which celebrities have taken sides in the Raptors vs. Warriors showdown?

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Drake may be the most devoted bold-faced basketball fan since Jack Nicholson, but he’s not the only big name sitting courtside. Here, a guide to celebrity NBA finals allegiances.

First, some Warriors fans.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z

At Wednesday night’s Game 3, Nicole Curran, who’s married to Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, had the nerve to talk to Jay-Z. The Bey Hive reacted poorly.

Barack Obama

The ex-POTUS was in the Six last Sunday night, sitting side by side (and in the stands!) with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. Obama hosted the Warriors for a visit to the White House  when he was in office. (The team refused the same invitation from Donald Trump last year.)

Snoop Dogg

He may hang regularly in Toronto, but Snoop is a Warriors fan from way back—so much so that he appeared as a panelist on NBC Sports ahead of Game 4, during which he said that both Kevin Durant and Kawhi should stay where they are. (Woot to that!)

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Jesse Williams

The Grey’s Anatomy star and activist took his front row seat early on Friday. (Maybe to ensure some quality hug time with Steph Curry?)

Dave Chappelle

The comedian is a devoted “Dubs” fan who often works his love for the Warriors into his act.

Tim Cook

The Apple CEO wore his heart on his heart.

And here’s who’s pulling for the Raptors.

Drake

Maybe you’ve heard that Drake is a big Toronto basketball fan?

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Shawn Mendes

Watching the home team (and hanging with Drizzy) kept Pickering’s most celebrated son in Stitches during Game 2.

Alessia Cara

The proud Bramptonian didn’t just attend Game 2, she sang the national anthem.

Elisabeth Moss

The Handmaid’s Tale actress and Toronto transplant cheered from the sidelines during the first round of the playoffs. Moss recently told Marie Claire magazine that she likes going to the games with “someone special who also likes the Raptors and the Leafs.” Sounds like her secret boyfriend is from the Six.

Lilly Singh

The YouTuber and soon to be First (and only!) Lady of Late Night will probably have trouble keeping a low profile at next year’s playoffs.

Justin Trudeau

While fans debate the existence of a “Trudeau Curse,” the PM seems pretty pleased to watch the Raps from his living room:

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Rory McIlRoy

After winning big at the Canadian Open over the weekend, the champ (who knows something about northern pride) predicted our boys would take it in five.

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Courtney Shea is a freelance journalist in Toronto. She started her career as an intern at Toronto Life and continues to contribute frequently to the publication, including her 2022 National Magazine Award–winning feature, “The Death Cheaters,” her regular Q&As and her recent investigation into whether Taylor Swift hung out at a Toronto dive bar (she did not). Courtney was a producer and writer on the 2022 documentary The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, based on her 2014 Toronto Life magazine feature “The Yorkville Swindler.”

Correction
June 19, 2019

An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Shawn Mendes’s hometown as Peterborough. Toronto Life apologizes for the error.

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