TORONTO — Any hopes that Drake would take the stage during the NBA all-star weekend were dashed Sunday night as a halftime performance from Sting went by without a single verse from the Toronto rapper.
Sting, the UK-born former frontman of the Police, raced through a set of megahits after facing weeks of flak on social media over being chosen to perform at a decidedly Canadian-centric basketball event.
Some observers predicted the 64-year-old rocker might call on a few special guests to help silence the naysayers.
But he didn't play to the critics, deciding instead to dig deep into his arsenal of hits like "Message in a Bottle" and "Every Breath You Take," both hit songs that sent the Police up the charts more than 30 years ago.
The 16-time Grammy winner also ran through "Next to You" and his solo hit "Desert Rose," which climbed to No. 2 on the Canadian charts in 2000.
Overall, the song choice wasn't particularly eclectic, and Sting missed an opportunity to tap into his hip-hop connections.
The track "Every Breath You Take" was famously sampled by Puff Daddy in the 1997 song "I'll Be Missing You," which the singer performed alongside the rapper at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards.
With at least a little bit of hip-hop cred, it seemed logical that Sting could bring up someone like Drake to broaden the appeal of his performance.
Perhaps even more surprising was the absence of "Roxanne," one of Sting's biggest hits with the Police and a mainstay on radio.
Earlier in the weekend, Snoop Dogg handpicked "Roxanne" for one of his DJ sets at a local nightclub.
Basketball fans were unusually subdued during the halftime show, which is typically reserved for high-energy acts like pop singer Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, who performed together last year, or Janelle Monae and Earth, Wind and Fire in 2014.
Sting, however, did have some high-profile supporters in the crowd.
Among them was former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal who live streamed a video through the Periscope mobile app as he sang along from the sidelines.
Overall, the musical entertainment for the NBA all-star game was a mixed bag.
Cirque du Soleil, the acrobatic troupe founded in Montreal, opened the event with a showcase that paid tribute to basketball. The performers flew through the air as projected graphics created the illusion they were slam dunking into hoops.
Nelly Furtado sparked an immediate negative reaction on social media with her unconventional take on Canada's national anthem alongside Native American flutist Tony Duncan.
R&B singer Ne-Yo performed the "Star Spangled Banner" after an unusual introduction which credited him as both a vocalist and a "critically-acclaimed actor."
His limited film credits include "Sharknado 3," and the critically-panned "Red Tails" and "Battle Los Angeles."
Drake briefly introduced the starting lineup before joining director Spike Lee courtside to watch the game.
The arena's DJ ensured Drake was still on everyone's mind, spinning "Hotline Bling" and some of his other inescapable hits.
