Somewhere in America, one of the most sought-after pieces of basketball and hip-hop artifacts lays hidden.
In 2011, during the NBA lockout, LeBron James and Kevin Durant — now enemies in this year’s NBA Finals — got together and created a hip-hop track that has only been heard of by a few sets of ears, sources told ESPN.com.
Oh, how the times have changed since then.
James was preparing for his second season with the Miami Heat and his superteammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The three had come up short in the 2011 NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, losing in six games.
Durant was coming off his second-consecutive league scoring title with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a franchise that was filled with promise featuring the likes of Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
Unbeknownst to them at the time, the Thunder and Heat would meet later that season in the NBA Finals where LeBron and company would take the title in five games.
Let’s face it, the NBA is lacking mystery thanks to its lack of parity in the standings. However, basketball fans can now be kept up at night by thinking of what the heck LeBron and KD’s track sounds like … or what it was called.
We have a few ideas of what the track could have been named:
“I’m in Miami, Kev” (featuring LMFAO)
This one is pretty self-explanatory here. LeBron would go on to win a pair of titles in Miami before returning to Cleveland while Durant would make the NBA Finals just once.
“The Real Slim Reaper”
Kevin Durant’s nickname would fit perfectly with one of Eminem’s greatest hits.
“Super Team Sellouts”
Now both Durant and James know what it’s like to bolt from their original teams in free agency to round out juggernaut title contenders.
“Baby G.O.A.T.”
It still is pre-emptive to label LeBron as the greatest baller ever, but there was little dispute even in 2011 that he would be on the NBA’s Mount Rushmore one day.
“Need New Friends”
Unlike Drake’s “No New Friends,” Durant looked like he needed some with Harden’s departure for Houston in 2012 and his constant spats with Westbrook. James had an entire city burning his picture and jerseys, so I’m sure he needed some new friends, too.
“King and Cupcake”
James is known as the King, but if you go to Oklahoma City, people there liken him to a certain dessert after he was called “Cupcake” by former teammate Kendrick Perkins during Thunder practices.
“G.S. State of Mind”
While Nas kept New York with him everywhere he went, Durant could have been dreaming of playing on a team in which he didn’t have to do all the heavy lifting.
“Dan”
Eminem wrote to Stan. Maybe LeBron should’ve written to Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert after his scathing letter to Cleveland after James’ departure in free agency.
“Big Popovich”
The San Antonio Spurs and their head coach have caused plenty of issues for both Durant and James. Durant and the Thunder lost the 2014 Western Conference Finals to Popovich while James went 1-1 in two NBA Finals.
“Banana Boat Blues”
LeBron did not look happy to be on that fateful banana boat ride with Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade. Maybe KD was jealous that he wasn’t invited.
