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J. Cole is taking his talents to China, and this time he’s stepping into one of the world’s most competitive professional basketball leagues. f
The multi-Grammy-winning rapper just signed with the Nanjing Monkey Kings of the Chinese Basketball Association, marking his third consecutive year playing professional hoops at the international level.
According to ESPN, Cole made good on a commitment he’d made to the team last year, and now he’s ready to suit up and compete.
This isn’t some random celebrity stunt either. Cole’s been serious about basketball for years, and he’s actually got game.
He played high school ball in North Carolina before becoming one of hip-hop’s biggest names, and he’s been itching to scratch that competitive itch ever since his music career took off.
In a recent interview, Cole explained his mindset about the whole thing, saying he wanted to see if he could actually hang at the professional level and that the teams were willing to have him because he brings both talent and publicity to their leagues.
Cole’s basketball resume is legit.
The following year, he moved to Canada and played five games for the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, averaging 2.4 points per game.
The Chinese Basketball Association represents a significant step up in competition compared to those leagues, so Cole’s moving up in the world of professional basketball.
At 41 years old and standing 6-foot-3, Cole knows he’s not in peak basketball shape, especially after focusing on his music career and dropping his latest album, The Fall-Off, in February.
But that’s not stopping him from showing up and putting in work. He’s committed to playing a few games for Nanjing and proving that he belongs on the court with professional athletes, even if he’s not training like a full-time player.
Cole’s always been about challenging himself and pushing boundaries, whether that’s through his music or his athletic pursuits, and this move to China shows he’s still got that competitive fire burning.
