At Last, Gucci Mane Finally Meets The NBA Ref Who Went Viral For Looking Like Him

For years, NBA referee James Williams has carved out a special place in the intersection of basketball and hip-hop, ever since fans noticed that he bears a striking resemblance to Gucci Mane. Now, finally, the two have met.

On Instagram yesterday (April 29), Mane shared some photos from his time at Miami’s Kaseya Center, for one of the Heat’s first-round playoff games against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Williams was one of the game’s officials, so sure enough, the last photo is of him and Mane of them standing on the court, with Williams beaming as he looks at the rapper.

Speaking about the resemblance in 2023, Williams said, “I am Gucci Mane. At this point. that’s who I am. I’m actually shocked when somebody on the floor calls me James. Nobody calls me James. Everybody calls me Gucci or Guwop. I’ve really just embraced it. It humanizes us. Referees who are just cops out there, I’m not a big fan of because that’s not how I referee. I go out there, I like to have fun. Engage the players, the fans, the coaches. While we have a job to do, you should still have fun while you’re doing it.”

Once, NBA star Ja Morant even requested a photo with Williams, later sharing it and captioning his post, “Me & gucci,” with some laughing emojis.