Did A Love Triangle Spark Drake And Ja Morant’s Alleged Beef?

Speculation has arisen over the identity of the basketball player Drake mentioned on his new diss records “Push Ups,” with digital sleuths connecting the dots and determining NBA star Ja Morant as the “hooper” in question.

On “Push Ups,” Drake mentions a basketball player known for “busting out the griddy,” a dance move popularized in part by Morant, who incorporates it into his on-court celebrations. The rapper also adds that the unnamed athlete is upset at him, although he doesn’t provide further details regarding the root of said baller’s ire.

“I know why you mad ni**a I ain’t even tripping,” Drake rhymes before continuing to address his adversaries.

According to social media, the alleged cause of Morant and Drake’s apparent beef likely stems from both stars’ association with Johanna Leia, a former model and social media influencer who is also the mother of Charlotte Hornets guard Amari Bailey.

Back in 2021, Leia was romantically linked to Drake after the rap star began attending basketball games at Bailey’s high school, Sierra Canyon.

The pair were also spotted on a private date at Dodgers Stadium in July that year, which Drake presumably rented out for the occasion. ABC helicopter reporter Chris Cristi would blow Leia and Drizzy’s cover after posting aerial photos of the two enjoying their evening on social media.

“@DRAKE ON A DATE? Randomly just flew over this cozy couple enjoying a private dinner along the third base line at an empty Dodger Stadium from #Air7HD @ABC #Drizzy,” Cristi wrote on X at the time. However, things between Leia and Drake appeared to had cooled off by the following year, which is when many believe Morant began seeing each other.

Leia was first linked to Morant in 2022, after fans noticed the Memphis Grizzlies star had liked numerous posts on her Instagram account, prompting speculation that the two were romantically involved. Those rumors ramped up even further after the former reality TV star was spotted in attendance at numerous Grizzlies road games and home games during the 2022-23 NBA season.

Prior to Drake’s “Push Ups” diss, Morant had expressed his support of Metro Boomin following the release of the producer’s new collaborative album with Future We Don’t Trust You, which is believed to include multiple jabs aimed at Drake.

When Metro cryptically warned, “Once you pick a side stay there,” in reference to the ongoing musical cold war, Morant responded, “Stay on dat side” in a tweet of his own. While there’s no telling where this beef could go, affections and ego seem to have played a significant part in its genesis and what’s yet to come.

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