Ex-Utah Jazz Player John Stockton Finally Reacts to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Shoutout

Amidst the epic hip-hop beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, a name you wouldn't expect to hear surfaced: John Stockton. The NBA Hall of Famer, known for his slick passes and stoic demeanor, became a lyrical sensation thanks to Lamar’s track Not Like Us. And the story didn't end there. All eyes, including Stockton's, were on Super Bowl LIX to see if the shoutout would make the halftime show.
Last year, amidst the height of the intense rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake—a saga that was arguably more captivating than most reality television shows—Stockton’s name unexpectedly emerged in the lyrics of Lamar’s hit song, Not Like Us. This particular line, a braggadocious assertion about outshining the competition, drew a clever comparison between Lamar’s impressive moves on the mic and Stockton’s legendary assists on the basketball court. The surprising mention of the Hall of Famer created a buzz that resonated through both the sports community and the music industry alike. As fans speculated about the possibility of Stockton making a cameo appearance during the Super Bowl, the anticipation felt thicker than the gooey cheese slathered over stadium nachos.
Stockton, it turns out, was just as curious as everyone else. "I have young people in my life. My kids all know about this song and we frankly knew it was coming," Stockton said on The Ultimate Assist Podcast.

During the penultimate song of his electrifying halftime performance, Lamar, fresh off winning five Grammys for Not Like Us, delivered a slightly tweaked version of the line: "I'm finna crash on this body, I'm John Stockton."
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Suddenly, Stockton, a name more familiar to sports fans, was trending alongside Kendrick Lamar. It’s like LeBron James suddenly showing up in a K-Pop video: unexpected, but undeniably cool. Stockton’s reaction? While he didn't exactly break into a celebratory dance, his acknowledgment of the moment speaks volumes. Let's just say, that sometimes, the biggest assists happen off the court.