When professor James Naismith was hammering two peachbaskets to the wall of his school’s gymnasium in 1891, there’s no way he could have known the game he was inventing would become one of the most popular sports in the world.
From March Madness and the NBA championship, to rec leagues and high school games, basketball has engrossed players and fans alike for more than a century. Along the way, many of rock’s biggest stars have also embraced the sport.
“One of the reasons I love sports and love basketball in particular, it brings us all together — every economic class, every race, every flavor of human being — we come together because we love this beautiful thing,” Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea remarked in 2020, following the death of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. “Basketball is an art and just like that brings us together and brings us all under this umbrella of this incredible art form that we watch people innovate and take further and further and deeper.”
READ MORE: Put Them in, Coach: 26 Rock Star Athletes
Below, we’ve highlighted 12 rock stars who are just as comfortable on the hardwood as they are on stage. In many cases, these musicians picked up a basketball long before they ever grabbed a mic or strapped on a guitar. Some starred for their high school or college teams, while others have showcased their skills in celebrity charity games. Whatever the case, all of them have maintained their love affair with basketball, even as their music careers have flourished.
Rock Star Basketball Players
Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin
