Celebrity-Athlete Friendships You Will Find Surprising
It's great to have people around you who will help you keep a level head. You can't always be around family when you are a top celebrity or professional athlete so those same athletes and celebrities frequently end up befriending each other. Some of these stars you would have never guessed were friends while others seem a lot more likely. Click through and learn about the interesting friendships among some athletes and celebrities. You wouldn't have guessed that one tennis star is buds with a certain fashion mogul.
Money and The Biebs
If you follow boxing at all then you should know that in the past, Floyd "Money" Mayweather would always bring out Justin Bieber as he walked out to the ring before one of his victories. The two were labeled as "BFFs" for the longest of time. Somewhere in 2017, they might have gotten into a small feud but they're still good.
Mayweather spoke about the situation and said, "Justin Bieber is at a point, he’s in a place right now, that he’s focused on church, he’s focused on his new team, he’s focused on the Lord, and the only thing I can do is give him the utmost respect. To each his own. I’m not here to be negative and talk bad about anyone.”
Jimmy Buckets and Marky Mark
This one is quite surprising. Minnesota Timberwolves guard, Jimmy Butler, and Hollywood stud Mark Wahlberg are as close as anyone. The two first met at Wahlberg's set in Chicago back in 2013 when he was filming Transformers. Soon after that, they ended up playing basketball together and a connection was made.
"Kids have great (BS) detectors and are very intuitive," Wahlberg said. "They just know who good people are and who bad people are. All my kids absolutely love Jimmy. He's really close with all of them."
Serena Williams And Kelly Rowland
When these two met, it was like love at first sight but friendship style. The former Destiny's Child singer met Serena Williams at a concert in 2016 and she was smitten from the start. "It was all of her energy and how great she was - and is," Kelly Rowland said. High energy people tend to have that influence on people so this is no surprise. "She is the best athlete of our time - yes, but because she's female, the best female athlete of our time," said Rowland. "I'm so proud of her and excited for her!"
The Jokester And The Speedster
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Usain Bolt and Kevin Hart are indeed friends. The pair's relationship was most likely kindled when the public first got to see the two together at the 2013 NBA celebrity All-Star game. The showman that is Bolt got a kick out of Hart's antics since the two both like to show out when on a big stage.
In 2017, they became ambassadors for PokerStars, competing against each other on social media in various activities. These two are actually a good match as friends but no one saw it coming. Bolt has even said Hart motivated him to train harder while he was prepping for the Olympic games.
Drizzy Drake And King James
For those who follow Drake's career, you know how he is basically friends with every star athlete but his relationship with LeBron James is not just for show. It dates back to 2009 when Drake released a song "Forever" for James' featured film More Than a Game. These two are always shouting each other out on social media and have more pictures together than you and your ex. But what's odd about this friendship is Drake's ties with the Toronto Raptors. He is the Global Ambassador for the franchise so whenever the Raptors play against James, it is always awkward waiting to see who Drake will cheer for.
Roger Federer And Anna Wintour
Would you look at this? Fashion goddess and tennis sage Anna Wintour and Roger Federer have seemingly been friends since 2005 but is it a friendship that is openly publicized? A mutual friend arranged for them to meet knowing Wintour was a fan and the rest is history.
"Of course, all I want to ever discuss with Roger is tennis: his tennis, other players, the next Slam," Wintour said. "But he wants to talk more about fashion. The truth is that Roger mostly wins that battle—he’s used to winning—and I’ve spent nearly as much time with him at runway shows as I have sitting in his box at Arthur Ashe Stadium."
Jay-Z And Robert Kraft
When you are Sean Carter (Jay-Z) it only makes sense that you have friends in high places with big money. It's only right. One of Jay-Z's big-time friends is none other than Robert Kraft. That might come as a surprise, that a rap mogul is such good friends with the CEO of Kraft Group and the owner of the New England Patriots but Jay-Z has transformed himself over the years as more than just a person who makes syllables rhyme in a divine fashion. When you rise to the top, not only does your environment change but so do your friends.
50 Cent And Pretty Boy Floyd
50 Cent was the Justin Bieber to Mayweather before Bieber came in the picture. These two were hand in hand in past, flaunting their riches on social media together and 50 would always be ringside for a fight or in the gym during sparring sessions. It got to the point where they became too close and heads collided.
50 was supposed to be Mayweather's promoter but that died down quickly because Mayweather though 50 would outshine him. Then when Mayweather went to prison, there was a misunderstanding over how much money 50 was due. The friendship seemed to die down after the two cracked jokes on each other (50 telling all his followers that Mayweather can't read) but that's all behind them now and they're good friends again.
Carroll And Ferrell[caption caption="Old friends Will Ferrell, left and head coach Pete Carroll visit on the field before the game." align="alignnone" id="attachment_55658" width="1100"][/caption]
Before Pete Carroll was a Super Bowl winning coach in the NFL, he was an amazing coach at USC. And if you know a thing a two about USC football then you know that Will Ferrell is one of their biggest fans. So after spending eight seasons at USC, Carroll and Ferrell became buddies.
As odd as this friendship is, Carroll has made his rounds and has come a long way from his coaching days with the New York Jets. Ferrell grew to love the coach just as Carroll has grown in his professional career so it makes perfect sense.
Kim Kardashian And Serena Williams[caption caption="Kim Kardashian and Serena Williams have lunch at restaurant "l'avenue" in Paris, France on April 30, 2014.<P>Pictured: Kim Kardashian and Serena Williams<P><B>Ref: SPL748505 300414 </B><BR/>Picture by: KCS Presse / Splash News<BR/></P><P><B>Splash News and Pictures</B><BR/>Los Angeles: 310-821-2666<BR/>New York: 212-619-2666<BR/>London: 870-934-2666<BR/>photodesk@splashnews.com<BR/></P>" align="alignnone" id="attachment_55659" width="725"][/caption]
This might come as a surprise because what does Kim Kardashian do? We know about Serena Williams but how did such a legendary athlete become so close with this Kardashian? The tabloids relished over this friendship calling the friendship the "Battle of the Booties" for example (misogyny, anyone?).
These aren't two people you would pair together, especially due to their contrasting lifestyles, but it works. The duo first met in 2013 out in Los Angeles and it seems to be a good matching because since then, Williams still has broken records.
Friends With The Guy Who Bit Your Ear Off?
On the left, you have Evander Holyfield, a former heavyweight champion and on the right, you have Mike Tyson, another former heavyweight champion. Two boxers being friends doesn't seem that out of place but once you take into consideration that Tyson bit Holyfield's ear off during one of their bouts then you can understand why this is a bit bewildering.
Forgive and forget is the saying but in this situation, what's worse, forgetting or forgiving? They made a Footlocker commercial together mocking the incident as well so it seems Holyfield has put this behind him.
Lionel Messi And Kobe Bryant
We witnessed earlier that Kobe Bryant is actually capable of befriending others (Kanye West). Thanks to the cold and demanding demeanor he carried on the court, many thought Bryant was this mean jerk but people didn't understand how laser-focused he was competing. This is probably why he likes soccer star Lionel Messi so much.
"I think Messi must have been 18 at the time, 17 maybe," said Bryant. "Ronaldinho called him over and said, 'Kobe, I want you to meet the player who is going to be the greatest player who ever lived.'" The two got to know each other more at the 2008 Olympics and since have been good friends.
Fayetteville Connect
For platinum recording artist J. Cole, many don't know much about him outside of what he tells through his music. In fact, even his biggest fans didn't know he was having a baby until the child was already a few months old! So for him to be so open with his friendship with fellow Carolina native and Dallas Maverick, Dennis Smith Jr., that speaks volumes.
The two are both from Fayetteville North Carolina, a small town. Smith got the chance to meet Cole at the skating rink in Fayetteville and the next day they played ball together. Since that day of Cole attempting to beat Smith, Cole turned into a big brother figure for the 2017-2018 rookie.
Lance Armstrong And Matthew McConaughey[caption caption="Matthew McConaughey and Lance Armstrong are seen jogging and working out on South Beach. They are staying at the Shore Club Hotel. <P><B>Ref: NRFL 230806 A <B/><P><B>Splash News and Pictures</B><br>Los Angeles:310-821-2666<br>New York:212-619-2666<br>London:207-107-2666<br>photodesk@splashnews.com<br>www.splashnews.com" align="alignnone" id="attachment_55663" width="1000"][/caption]
You can tell the strength of a friendship by what they endure together. While not all friendships are meant to survive lies and deceit, denial is a great medicine for those type of things. When Lance Armstrong came out and told all the things he had been doing, Matthew McConaughey didn't want to throw away all the quality time they spent together.
"He told a lie, he's not a liar," he said. "When it came out, I took it personally but then I realized it ain't personal to him. I was going, 'that son of a [expletive]!' but then I thought, 'well, what was he supposed to do? Call me to the side and go 'hey I did this'?" Yes, he could have told you.
Calipari And Drake
Drake obviously knows a ton of famous folks thanks to his status but his relationship with college basketball coach John Calipari raises some questions. Just how did these two get so close that Drake is allowed to participate in the layup line before a game?
Zach McCann of ESPN wrote: "Drake was born and raised by his mother in Canada, but he spent his summers in Memphis with his father," McCann wrote. "And as his fame grew throughout the 2000s, he got to know John Calipari, who coached Memphis basketball from 2000 to 2009." So there is the explanation for this seemingly odd friendship.
The Biggest Head-Scratcher
Dennis Rodman had the reputation for doing wild things while he was playing in the NBA. He would come to each game with a new hair color and even made it rainbow-hued one time but it didn't matter because he got the job done. Still, many wonder where Rodman's head was at and more so when it was revealed that he is close with Kim Jong-Un.
The two grew their friendship from their equal appreciation for the game of basketball. We'll reiterate, this is the oddest pairing of two people the world has seen in quite some time.
Romo And Crawford
Marrying someone doesn't automatically put you in good graces with the rest of their family. That comes with time, trust and chemistry. The good thing for Tony Romo is that his wife's brother is a pretty neat guy. Romo and Candice Crawford got married in 2011 and Chace Crawford and Romo have been tight ever since, mainly because they both have a thing for football.
People magazine reported that the two were friends well before the wedding. The trio all partied together at Super Bowl activities. No one was really concerned that Romo wasn't in the Super Bowl so that's all that matters.
Kicking It With Cruise
"I’ve got my wife. I’ve got my four kids. I’ve got parents, grandparents still, and three really good friends. It’s all you need. I’d rather have three really good friends than 20 good friends," David Beckham said. Having said that, you know Beckham doesn't have many friends, however, Tom Cruise is one of them. The two have been friends for years, Beckham even named his son after the actor.
They were really tight when Cruise was with Katie Holmes but once that stopped, their friendship sort of did too (because Spice and Holmes are such good friends as well). But, these two still enjoy time together after the divorce.
DeSean Jackson And TerRio
Remember internet sensation TerRio? He was huge back when Vine was still around and during his rise to popularity, he made friends with many famous people. Why? Because he was funny and he can dance. The two took to Instagram and Vine when the relationship first happened and they showed just how much they care about each other. DeSean Jackson even took the young man to some Super Bowl activities to show his appreciation. Jackson likes to dance on and off the field so it makes sense that these two would become a dynamic duo!
Yeezy And The Black Mamba
We've seen these two in a Nike commercial in the past but it wasn't confirmed if they were actually friends. Well, while Kobe Bryant was still playing, he would train with Kanye West and West would bring Bryant over to his recording sessions. And of course, West was in attendance at Bryant's last game.
