During the 2011 NBA lockout, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Baron Davis, and Trevor Ariza returned to UCLA, their alma mater. However, they weren’t the only celebrities there; during one summer class, the quartet had a surprise visitor: Sean “Diddy” Combs . As shared on social media, including a tweet from Davis, the controversial hip-hop mogul showed up at their request.
"Another great day at school. Recruited P. Diddy to our history class!! Good looking big bro,” tweeted Davis, per CBS News.
College days revisited
The NBA lockout was a labor dispute between the league's owners and players, stemming from disagreements over revenue sharing and the salary cap structure. As a result, all league activities were put on hold, allowing athletes to explore various interests.
For instance, the former guard Delonte West applied for a job at a furniture store , while the legendary Kobe Bryant was close to playing in Italy . Meanwhile, the aforementioned group of former UCLA products focused on their education and tried to relive their college days.
In addition to their history class, the four of them reportedly took an American popular culture course, which was particularly significant for Love . He explained that this course would elevate his credits to sophomore status after he left UCLA following his freshman season in 2008. Furthermore, the 6'8" forward, then with the Timberwolves, mentioned he enrolled in classes just in case the lockout extended into December or January, expressing his excitement to “ have the opportunity to do so."
Related: Wemby is surprised by the lack of effort some NBA stars put into improving their game: "They don't seem like they put as much work as I thought."
Combs' relationship with UCLA later soured
With Love and Westbrook in attendance, the building was packed with two multi-time All-Stars, and to top it off, “Diddy” made an appearance. This was confirmed by “K-Love” on social media, who shared, “We recruited a new classmate,” along with a photo capturing the star-studded moment.
Combs' presence on campus was initially linked to his son, Justin, a talented football player attracting attention from various colleges. At that time, the young wide receiver was likely on a recruiting visit with the Bruins.
Fast forward to today, and the rapper known for the 1997 track "I’ll Be Missing You" is facing serious allegations in several lawsuits, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and most recently, rape and sexual assault. Interestingly, the 54-year-old has also been involved in controversy related to UCLA.
In 2015, “Diddy” reportedly confronted the college football coach during a heated altercation that involved choking and headlocking. His frustration allegedly stemmed from his son being disciplined for missing practice to attend the NBA All-Star game with his dad. Talk about priorities!
Related: "Is it plausible that he's got LeBron James doing something that he wouldn't want made public?” - Candace Owens asks why the "King" is silent on the Diddy issue
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