Drake Curse in Sports Complete History and Timeline

Cover Photo: Getty Images

Drake has an undeniable knack for making hit singles, staring in viral music videos and cursing sports teams. While Drake's music has been beloved by millions of people around the world over the past 10 years, his fair-weather sports fandom has become notorious for cursing certain teams and athletes.

Here's a complete history and timeline of the "Drake Curse" in sports. 

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (April - May 2019)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was one of the most hyped MLB prospects coming into 2019 and finally made his MLB debut in April. After Guerrero started his MLB career a respectable 2-for-8 at the plate, the Toronto Blue Jays' third baseman also got the chance to meet his favorite recording artist, Drake. However, since then, Guerrero fell into a 2-for-15 slump over his next four games.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs (April 23, 2019)

Following the Toronto Maple Leafs' Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Drake's hometown Leafs became the latest victim added to this rapidly-growing list of teams that have succumbed to the rapper's infamous curse.

3. New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots & Kansas City Chiefs (Jan. 20, 2019)

Drake actually attempted to troll those catching on to his sports curse earlier this January. The rapper posted a picture of himself wearing a custom sweatshirt that featured the logos of all four NFL teams competing for the 2019 AFC and NFC Championship games.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (Jan. 7, 2019)

Drake publicly backed then-No. 1 Alabama ahead of the Crimson Tide's 44-16 loss to Clemson in the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship. The Crimson Tide suffered their worst loss in a dozen years during the Nick Saban era. This could have been the curse of the CFP No. 1 seed or the Drake Curse, but we're going with the Drake Curse here based on volume. 

5. Connor McGregor (October 2018)

Drake is probably the most notorious bandwagon fan in sports, but this was his most surprising decision yet. Drake was strangely omnipresent during the lead-up to the UFC match between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Connor McGregor in 2018. McGregor brought Drake out during the weigh-in, and the rapper's surprise appearance instantly went viral. Unfortunately for Drake, Khabib absolutely demolished McGregor and added another black-mark to the rapper's infamous record. 

6. Golden State Warriors (June 2016)

Drake, like all good bandwagon fans, is a big Golden State Warriors' fan. The superstar regularly shouts out Steph Curry and the Warriors in his songs, and he even reportedly lost $60K betting on the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals to rapper French Montana. Many sports fans felt that the 73-9 Warriors losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers must've been divine intervention, but it was likely just the Drake curse. 

7. Serena Williams (August - September 2015)

It all started back in August 2015 when Drake was spotted kissing Serena Williams. Williams was in the midst of a potentially record-breaking season, with her sights set on the tennis Grand Slam. With three majors already in the bag, and Drake himself in the stands to cheer her on at the U.S. Open, the fourth and final major of the year, Williams lost in one of the most sunning upsets in women's tennis history, thus dashing her hopes and adding to the rapper's curse.

8. Andrew Wiggins and Johnny Manziel (April 2014 - Present)

Drake released the song "Draft Day," which he dedicated to his good friend Johnny Manziel, a few days ahead of the 2014 NFL Draft. Drake sang Manziel's praises throughout the song, and  also took the time to shout out fellow Canadian Andrew Wiggins in the chorus. Well, we know how this turned out. Manziel was out of the NFL after two seasons, and Wiggins has underwhelmed in the NBA. 

9. Kentucky Wildcats (September 2013 - Present)

Drake has an affinity for the Kentucky Wildcats thanks to his puzzling friendship with Wildcats' head coach, John Calipari. Drake's regular appearances at Kentucky games is likely a fantastic recruiting tool for Calipari, but it has not translated into post-season success. The Wildcats haven't won a title since 2012 and Drake released his most critically-acclaimed album "Nothing Was the Same" in 2013. In other words, the Wildcats have not won a title since Drake  became a mainstay in pop culture. Coincidence? We think not. 

10. Toronto Raptors (September 2013 - Present)

Drake is a regular at Toronto Raptors home games, and the camera always seems to find him sitting court-side. Drake actually serves as the "Global Ambassador" for the Raptors, and the team holds an annual "Drake Night." Unfortunately, the Raptors have lost in heartbreaking fashion every year since Drake took the position in 2013. While the Raptors have seemingly turned over a new leaf since acquiring Kawhi Leonard, it's unclear if a player of even Kawhi's caliber can overcome the Drake curse. 

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David Hayes is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, David Hayes also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username DavidWHayes. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.