Grammy-award winning artist and Global Ambassador for the Toronto Raptors, Drake has been a driving force in helping grow the team's brand in recent seasons and next he has his sights set on a WNBA team.
"@WNBA I need a Toronto team," Drake wrote on his Instagram story today.
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) November 3, 2021
Shortly after he posted a photo with Las Vegas Aces and Australian Opals center Liz Cambage, jokingly calling her the 'face of the franchise'.
The Raptors have surged in both popularity and value in recent seasons, winning the NBA championship in 2019 and this year Forbes ranked them as the 10th most valuable franchise in the league.
With the WNBA growing in viewership and popularity, this season in particular, the league has discussed potential expansion, with commissioner Cathy Engelbert indicating as much ahead of Game 1 of the 2021 WNBA Finals last month.
“Expansion is on the horizon," she said.
"I suspect by next summer or this time next year, in our 26th season, we'll be talking about the number of teams and a list of where [new franchises might land," Engelbert told ESPN's Mechelle Voepel and Tisha Thompson in October.
Ahead of the Raptors game against the Washington Wizards today, head coach Nick Nurse was asked about Drake's comments and added his support to the idea.
"I think it'd be great. I think Toronto should have a team," Nurse said.
"This is a golden age, the number of people playing, the amount of talent pouring out. I imagine it'd be wildly successful."
