Key Takeaways:

• LeBron James says there’s “always love” between him and Drake, regardless of being in “different places” proper now.
• Drake appeared to answer James’ help of Kendrick Lamar with a lyric and tattoo change.
• The evolving stress highlights how hip hop rivalries can influence long-standing friendships within the public eye.

Even although they’re admittedly in “different places right now,” LeBron James says he’ll at all times have love for Drake. On Thursday (Sept. 18), the NBA legend opened up about their friendship throughout an interview on Speedy Morman’s “360 With Speedy.”

“Always wish him the best,” James defined. “Obviously [we’re in] different places right now, currently. He’s doing his thing, I’m doing mine, but it’s always love for sure.”

The Los Angeles Lakers star and Drake go way back to 2009’s So Far Gone, so followers have been understandably shocked to see James at Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out — Ken and Friends” live performance final summer season.

In January, Drake seemingly addressed James on “Fighting Irish Freestyle,” a document first heard in a now-deleted episode of Conductor Williams’ “Signature Blends” collection. The Canadian rapper spat, “The world fell in love with the gimmicks, even my brothers got tickets / Seemed like they loved every minute / Just know this s**t is personal to us, and it wasn’t just business.”

Then, in July, the “Hotline Bling” hitmaker reportedly covered up his No. 23 tattoo — James’ jersey quantity — with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s No. 2 and “Thunder” arched above it. The three-time NBA All-Star notably appeared within the visible companion for “NOKIA” some months earlier.

Speaking to Yahoo! Sports in 2011, James opened up about his relationship with Drake on the time. “What we’ve is actual household. It’s not simply because we’re profitable at what we do,” he defined. “We really care about one another on a day-to-day basis. Anytime you get a friend [who] can come and support you in what you do, I really respect that.”

Whether Drake is open to mending fences is anybody’s guess, however for now, he’s locked in on his forthcoming solo album, Iceman. The mission’s newest single, “DOG HOUSE” that includes Julia Wolf and Yeat, arrived on Sept. 8.