J. Cole has made his official debut in the CBA, suiting up for Chinese basketball team the Nanjing Monkey Kings.
The rapper, who was announced to have joined the team earlier this month, checked in during the team’s game on Saturday (April 11) against the Guangzhou Loong Lions. Cole played a total of eight minutes with one rebound and one assist on his stat sheet. However, Cole’s team ultimately lost 95-81. Check out footage of Cole checking into the game here.
ESPN reported, on April 1, that J. Cole committed to playing a "few" games for the Monkey Kings, who previously had American former NBA stars Willie Cauley-Stein, Antonio Blackeney, and Tacko Fall on their roster.
Days before the game, Cole spoke to the Nanjing press about playing for the team. "Last summer, they came to me," Cole explained, before admitting that he’s getting older. "They give me an opportunity to come play on the court. It’s a blessing to me."
The team’s general manager, Zhen Wang, explained why Cole was signed in a clip posted to social media, depicting him going to welcome the rapper from the airport.
"Since he’s the minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, we’re hoping that through his position, he can maybe help more of our domestic players get opportunities to train and play in the U.S.," Wang said.
Cole’s history with basketball extends far beyond the numerous references that he makes in his music. In high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he played for the varsity team. In recent years, he returned to playing the game. Back in 2021, he played a few games for the Basketball Africa League's Rwanda Patriots, where he averaged 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds.
The next year, Cole joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Scarborough Shooting Stars in Toronto, where he averaged 2.4 points a game with 0.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists.
