J.J. Watt, Drake help kick off Manchester Derby at NRG Stadium

PHOTOS: See more of Drake, J.J. Watt and other fans at the Manchester Derby at NRG Stadium on Thursday

Drake greets Manchester City midfielder Sergio Aguero (10) before the start of the 2017 International Champions Cup at NRG Stadium, Thursday, July, 20, 2017. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle )

Browse through the photos above for a look at the fans at Thursday's Manchester Derby at NRG Stadium. less PHOTOS: See more of Drake, J.J. Watt and other fans at the Manchester Derby at NRG Stadium on Thursday

Drake greets Manchester City midfielder Sergio Aguero (10) before the start of the 2017 International ... more Photo: Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 98 Caption Close J.J. Watt, Drake help kick off Manchester Derby at NRG Stadium 1 / 98 Back to Gallery

Texans star J.J. Watt and rapper Drake were on hand at the Manchester Derby at NRG Stadium on Thursday to kick off the match in true Houston fashion.

Watt, the Texans' three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner, participated in the coin toss before the match between Manchester United and Manchester City, the first edition of the Derby on U.S. soil.

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Drake, who claims Houston as his second home, brought the game ball out with the procession of players.

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Although Watt is the pride of Pewaukee, Wisc., and Drake hails from Toronto, there are few public figures who consistently promote their association with H-Town more than them.

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Drake is in town for his annual Houston Appreciation Week (HAW), which runs July 20-23 and includes a slate of parties and events celebrating the Bayou City.

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