Rapper Badshah played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which took place in California recently. He is the first Indian rapper to be part of the event. Several videos and pictures of Badshah playing in the court emerged on social media platforms.
Internet loves how Badshah played, cakes him better than Ranveer Singh
A fan page shared the rapper’s video on Instagram. A part of the caption read, “Known globally for his chart-dominating music career, the Indian superstar brought undeniable presence to the hardwood, drawing attention from both sports enthusiasts and international audiences alike.” Reacting to the video, a fan said, “Good pass, Badshah. He plays unexpectedly well.”
“He’s good, awesome pass, then good approach for recovery, sign of a good player,” read a comment. A person wrote, “Smooth pass and the cut to the basket. Badshah knows ball. “Better than Ranveer Singh. He is serving player energy,” an Instagram user said. “Badshah actually plays really well,” another fan commented. A person called him “Star of the night” while another hailed it as a “Global icon moment.” A social media user said, “Making India proud.”
Badshah pens a note after game
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Badshah shared a bunch of photos and videos from the event. He wrote, “Having probably the most MAST (best) time bhai logon (brothers). Always wanted to see an NBA basketball court live at least once in my life.”
“And when it finally happened, look at the irony, I didn’t even see the court, I walked straight onto it to PLAY! Not as a spectator. Not from the stands. As a player. The power of dreams of kid. Met some of the coolest people. Too much to learn, too much inspiration. Thank you, God,” concluded his note.
Who all did Badshah play with
Badshah was part of Team Anthony Anderson, a team coached by actor Anthony Anderson. He played alongside Simu Liu, Cody Jones, Andre De Grasse, Taylor Frankie Paul, Mat Ishbia, Jason Williams, Nicolas Vansteenberghe, Mustard, Adrien Nunez, and Keenan Allen. The coaches are Anthony Anderson, Lethal Shooter, and Chris Brickley.
More about the teams, game venue
On the opposing side, the players were Keegan-Michael Key, Shams Charania, Jeremy Lin, Amon-Ra St Brown, GloRilla, Tacko Fall, Rome Flynn, Dylan Wang, Jenna Bandy, Cafu and Rick Schnall. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Mookie Betts are the coaches for the team. The game took place on Friday at 7 pm ET (Saturday, February 14 at 5.30 am IST) at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.
In October last year, Badshah, along with Ranveer Singh, Adrien Brody, and cricketer Rashid Khan, attended the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025. Ranveer, brand ambassador for NBA India since 2021, had also played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Games in 2022 (Cleveland) and 2023 (Salt Lake City).
About Badshah
Badshah is known for songs such as Mercy, Akkad Bakkad, Garmi and Sanak among many others. Badshah will perform at London’s The O2 on March 22. Earlier this year, he had announced the US dates for The Unfinished Tour. He will perform in Virginia, New Jersey, the Bay Area, Seattle, Dallas and Chicago throughout September.
