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Rihanna is a huge LeBron James fan. She supported him during his championship run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and followed him to Los Angeles when he signed with the Lakers in 2018. However, when she went to go see the Lakers play against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center in October, another balding NBA superstar appeared to catch her eye: Alex Caruso.
The nine-time Grammy award-winner went viral earlier this season when cameras caught her looking in Caruso’s direction. Sure, she could have just been caught off guard by Caruso’s experience, but let’s be real — AC is like a modern Hercules.
Rihanna ready to risk it all for Alex Caruso? pic.twitter.com/Xuja6Euil8
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) October 26, 2019
As hard as it is to believe, that magical moment ultimately amounted to nothing, despite the fact that there was obviously palpable tension between them. However, while talking about what it’s like having so many famous people around LeBron and the Lakers all the time during an appearance on the most recent episode of “The LiucciCast,” Caruso vowed to introduce himself if he and Rihanna ever cross paths again:
“Anytime you’re with LeBron in a public place, like... I’ve dapped up 2 Chainz on the side. I was doing stretches and I went up and dapped up 2 Chainz because I’ve seen him three or four times now because he loves LeBron and he loves the team. He’s like ‘hey man, you’ve got some game’ and I’m like ‘preciate it, bro!’
“The L.A. factor mixed with the LeBron factor, like everywhere we’ve gone this year, it’s the biggest game of that person’s (season)... Like when we went to Atlanta, you could name like 10 different Atlanta rappers who were there that ranged from like current day people, to like Ludacris and people like that... Everywhere we go it’s celebrities left and right that want to see us play. I step onto the court and I’ve got certain people watching me and I’m like ‘oh, this is pretty cool.’”
But you did not dap up Rihanna, which is my favorite Caruso gif, even with all the dunks, you didn’t dap her up, that would have been the highest-risk, highest-reward move of your career and I dare you to do it if she’s there. Because if she leaves you hanging, it’s a forever one...
“It is, but that would be kind of funny at the same time.”
Either way you win!
“If it happens again, I’ll try to make something happen, I’ll go over and try and dap her up. For the culture.”
There have been some great moments caught on film throughout NBA history, such as Michael Jordan’s dunk from the free-throw line in the 1988 dunk contest and Dwyane Wade’s pass to LeBron James in 2010 — you know the one. That being said, a picture of Caruso dapping up Rihanna would be the single-most liked picture in the history of the NBA. If you think the Caruso hype is crazy now, just wait until Fenty Beauty drops their Bald Eagle collection, or when Caruso gets name-dropped in Rihanna’s next album
Just kidding — we know she’s never dropping that album.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @RadRivas.