There are plenty of basketball songs out there and I thought it would be nice to compile a list of the top 10 basketball songs I could think of. These songs are mostly about basketball and mention it directly in their lyrics however there are a couple that don’t but I would be remiss if I didn’t add them anyway.
So here you are…
The Top 10 Basketball Songs
#10 – Skeelo – I Wish
This is one of those songs that just has to make the list but it may not be as elite or motivational as some of the others. With Rhymes like “‘Cause when it comes to playing basketball/I’m always last to be picked/And in some cases never picked at all/So I just lean upon the wall/Or sit up in the bleachers with the rest of the girls/Who came to watch their men ball” it definitely is not a reflection of the individual in which you would likely aspire. Though, it is one of those songs for the underdog and if you are one of those people coming from the bottom and want to cheer on the little guy then this track is probably something you might want to cop.
You can check out the youtube video for Skeelo’s “I Wish” here.
#9 – Queen – We Are the Champions
Yeah, it might not mention basketball but this song has the heart of a champion written all over it, yeah even in the title. If you have ever watched a sports movie where they win, it is likely you have heard this song. Many people think about a basketball song and immediately want a basketball motivational or workout song. This song probably will not get you hyped for practice but I guarantee if you listen to this a couple of times it will definitely get you motivated before that big game.
You can watch We Are the Champions on Youtube
#8 – Queen – We Will Rock You
Once again, there is no need for a mention of basketball in order for this track to get you hyped up for a game. In fact, if you have ever been to a basketball game then you have no doubt heard this track over the loud speakers. It may not be your typical rap or even mention basketball but I dare you to throw on this track and not get goosebumps or start moving your feet or head to the catchy rhythm as you dream about dunking over whoever gets in front of you.
You can watch We Will Rock You by Queen
#7 – Kurtis Blow – Basketball
For anybody to mention a top ten list of basketball songs and not include the infamous Kurtis Blow Basketball would be a crime. Seriously, contact your local politician and suggest it become law. Not only do you have that hype old school funky beat, but you have lyrics like “Basketball is my favorite sport/I like the way they dribble up and down the court/Just like I’m the king of the microphone/So is Dr J and Moses Malone/I like slam dunkstake it to the hoop/My favorite play is the alley-oop/I like the pick-and-roll I like the give-and-go/This is basketball with Mr. Kurtis Blow” Now, after even reading that I imagine you were dreaming of yourself in one of those old school 80s rap videos playing ball.
Here, you can watch the song Basketball by Kurtis Blow
#6 – Lil’ Bow Wow ft. J.D. – Basketball
In tribute to Kurtis Blow, Lil’ Bow Wow and J.D. have taken the hook from Kurtis and redid the lyrics in the same fashion as Kurtis Blow himself. With some updated terms and fusion of current era lyrics with an old school feel beat, this quickly gets enough love from me to make a top basketball songs list.
Check out the song “Basketball” by Lil’ Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri on youtube
#5 – 69 Boyz – Hoop in Yo Face
This song screams high school all over it… It screams cheerleaders shaking their butts… But hey, it’s not like you weren’t warned this was a 69 Boyz track. For that reason it makes the list.
Check out the video for “Hoop in Yo Face”
#4 – The Game – Champion
The Game, AKA Jayceon Terrell Taylor, hit up the airwaves in 05 and began to rock crowds. Once claimed to have a scholarship for Washington State University to play basketball, he apparently didn’t make it because of drug allegations from Wikipedia rumors however it was refuted by the NewsTribune. Whatever the case you can understand his love for the game (of basketball) as reflected in his music & throughout the song you hear multiple references to NBA Basketball. Many people will even recognize this as one of the songs featured in the popular basketball video game NBA2k10 as the official introduction song.
Check out the Champion video on Youtube
#3 – Fort Minor – Remember the Name
In Fort Minor’s “Remember the Name” we got yet another song that has been featured on the menu of a video game in which most of us have played and memorized which is one of the reasons it’s so low on the list. Any time you hear this song you think about the domination and beat downs you gave your boys while dunking all over them in the virtual court. Either way it’s absolutely impossible not to listen to this song and think about ballin’. Remember the Name has also been featured and popularized as TNT’s theme for the NBA playoffs.
Watch the video for Fort Minor’s “Remember the Name”
#2 – Nelly – Heart of a Champion
For those that like Nelly as a rapper and even for those that don’t, the beat and overall hype on this track makes you just want to ball all the way down to the theme which is ripped off of Roundball Rock. For those that don’t know or are drawing a blank, Roundball Rock is the song by John Tesh which was used for a good 12 years during the NBA games aired on NBC.
Listen to the theme and watch the video for “Heart of a Champion” on Youtube.
#1 – House of Pain – Jump Around
You may not all agree with me in that Jump Around by House of Pain should be the number one basketball song, partly because it doesn’t mention basketball in the lyrics. My response? It mentions basketball in the heart of the song… In the beat… In the lyrics… Anybody that hasn’t thrown this on their list of songs to warm up to is obviously way too young to understand just how it’s done. Cop this track, put it on your iPod, and get down to business gentlemen. That’s how you do it.
Watch the video for Jump Around on Youtube.
As always, and worth noting, this top 10 list of basketball songs is not all inclusive and your suggestions are welcome. I’m positive there are songs I left out for one reason or another but I did the best I could with what I had.
Perhaps you would like to add a comment to let me know just how many I missed out on? Go Ahead.
