DALLAS - Fans paying close attention to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show may have heard a reference to a former Dallas Maverick.
Bad Bunny's Dallas Mavericks shout out
What we know:
While performing his 2022 song "El Apagón" on Sunday night, Bad Bunny sung lyrics that referenced both Barea and current Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
The lyrics, sung in Spanish, say "Y de Barea, el que fue campeón primero que Lebron." When translated to English, they read "And Barea, the one who became champion before LeBron."
Puerto Rico connection
The backstory:
Like Bad Bunny, J.J. Barea is a native of Puerto Rico. He spent parts of 11 seasons with the Mavericks, winning an NBA championship with the team during the 2011 season.
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 12: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat posts up against Jose Juan Barea #11 of the Dallas Mavericks in Game Six of the 2011 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena on June 12, 2011 in Miami, Florida. The Mavericks won 105-95. NOTE TO U …
Bad Bunny's lyrics reference that Barea won a championship before LeBron James did. James joined the Miami Heat in 2010 and later faced off against the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.
Barea played a key role in the Mavs winning the championship, averaging 8.9 points per game over the course of the playoffs to help the Mavericks to a title. Dallas beat the Heat in six games to win the franchise's first championship.
James would win his first NBA championship one year later, when the Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals.
The Source: Information in this story came from basketball-reference.com.