Kawhi Leonard pays tribute to friend Nipsey Hussle vs. Orlando Magic

The rap world may have lost one of its brightest stars with the tragic death of Nipsey Hussle, but for Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors’ star lost a close friend.

One day after the “Double Up” rapper was gunned down near Los Angeles, Leonard took the court against the Orlando Magic with a tribute to his fallen friend written on his sneakers.

Hussle, whose real name is Ermias Asghedom, met Leonard at a recording session in 2016. The two quickly became friends and established a partnership, collaborating on projects such as the Gatorade commercial below.

“Kawhi is a smart dude,” Asghedom shared with Express News last year. “He doesn’t speak unless he’s got something real to say. I respect that quality in people. … He listens more than he talks.

“I just like how Kawhi represents himself. He’s a beast on that court, but he speaks with demonstration.”

Leonard wasn’t the only NBA star to pay tribute to Hussle — Steph Curry, LeBron James and DeMar DeRozan are just a few of the others to share kind words about the late rapper.

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