2 Chainz isn’t just a rap superstar who enjoys watching basketball—he once had dreams of making it on the court himself. A former college hooper, his deep love for the game never faded, even as his music career took center stage. Unlike most celebrity fans, his background and basketball IQ give his opinion on the GOAT debate added weight.
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Plenty of stars are known for their courtside devotion to NBA teams—Spike Lee in New York, Jack Nicholson in L.A., Drake in Toronto. But 2 Chainz’s loyalty lies with the Atlanta Hawks, and he took that connection a step further.
In 2019, the Grammy-winning artist bought a minority stake in the Hawks’ G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, keeping himself tethered to the sport that shaped his early life. Basketball is a prominent anchor in his life, and he tries to stay as connected to the sport as he can.
Appearing on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, 2 Chainz was asked to name his top five players of all time. He didn’t hesitate to name the stars that he deems to be the best.
“Jordan, Kobe, LeBron. I throw Shaq in there. And if I want to win all the games, I gotta put Steph in there,” 2 Chainz said.
The rapper revealed how he could make individual Top-5 lists from Michael Jordan’s era, Kobe Bryant’s era, and LeBron James’ era. However, there were three names that would always make his Top-5 cut – MJ, Kobe, and LeBron.
That isn’t to say Shaquille O’Neal and Stephen Curry aren’t good enough to crack his list. But his opinion could change depending on what he wants out of his team.
Out of the three staples in his top five, one of them soars higher than the rest. Sharpe proceeded to ask 2 Chainz about who he believes the GOAT is. He sided with the Los Angeles Lakers legend.
“I just love that Kobe guy, man,” 2 Chainz said. At that point, Shannon Sharpe brought up his Kobe Bryant tattoo, which left 2 Chainz surprised about how Uncle Shay knew about it.
2 Chainz had the privilege of establishing a relationship with the five-time NBA champion. As a result, his untimely death hit him very deeply, especially since they had seen each other not long before his passing.
“It was just so out of the blue,” 2 Chainz said. “I had just saw him on New Year’s.”
Their friendship may have been short-lived, but 2 Chainz was able to showcase his basketball knowledge to Bryant. He felt like Bryant “might have respected” his IQ for the game.
That stamp of approval was all that the rapper needed to validate his basketball opinion and solidify Bryant as his GOAT.
