A piece of Mobile high school history is getting national attention after Grammy-winning artist Drake wore a LeFlore High School basketball jersey in the music video for his hit song “In My Feelings.” The jersey, numbered 15, pays tribute to NBA veteran DeMarcus Cousins, a LeFlore graduate whose standout play at the Mobile school helped launch his professional career.
Cousins wore number 15 during his time as a Rattler before going on to become one of the most dominant big men in college and professional basketball. His path from LeFlore’s gymnasium to the University of Kentucky and then the NBA has long made him a source of pride in Mobile, and the appearance of his old jersey number in one of the biggest music videos of the year has renewed that hometown enthusiasm.
Cousins addressed the moment directly on social media, writing that LeFlore had to “take my jersey out of retirement” for the video, a nod to the fact that the school had honored his career by retiring the number. He also thanked his fellow John L. LeFlore High School alumni for the recognition, tying the viral moment back to the Mobile community that shaped his early basketball career.
The timing lines up with a busy stretch for Cousins on the court. The four-time NBA All-Star recently agreed to a one-year contract with the Golden State Warriors, joining a roster that had just won an NBA championship. The move places one of Mobile’s most recognizable athletes on one of the league’s most high-profile teams, adding another chapter to a career that started on LeFlore’s home court.
For LeFlore High School, long known for producing standout athletes, the appearance of its jersey in a major music video offers a moment of visibility far beyond Mobile County. School alumni and local basketball fans have pointed to the video as a reminder of the talent that has come through the Rattlers program over the years, with Cousins’ rise from a local standout to an NBA All-Star continuing to be a point of civic pride.
Neither Drake’s team nor Cousins has detailed exactly how the jersey made its way into the video, but the tribute has been widely shared among Mobile-area fans since it surfaced. It marks one of the more prominent recent examples of a local athlete’s high school legacy crossing over into mainstream pop culture.