Rapper J. Cole Signs Professional Contract to Play in the Chinese Basketball Association

Grammy Award-winning rapper J. Cole is trading the mic for a jersey once again — this time on the other side of the world.

The 41-year-old hip-hop star has signed a professional contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings of the Chinese Basketball Association, marking his third stint as a professional basketball player. ESPN confirmed the report on April 1.

Cole first revealed the news during an appearance on Revolt’s Talk With Flee with Cam’Ron on March 25, confirming he would play “a couple of games” with the team.

“The basketball s— is like me just trying to scratch a last itch of, let me see if I can do this,” he said on the podcast.

He briefly mentioned the move again on the 7PM in Brooklyn Podcast with Carmelo Anthony.

J. Cole Has Already Arrived in China to Begin His Latest Professional Basketball Journey

On April 1, Cole posted a video on Chinese social media platform Douyin confirming his arrival in the country. “China, what’s the world. This is J. Cole, Cole World. I’m excited to be in the vicinity,” he said in the video.

Other videos surfaced on X showing J. Cole suited up — but not playing — during the Monkey Kings’ April 2 game.

In a separate Douyin video, Zhen Wang “Billy,” General Manager of the Nanjing Tongxi Basketball Club, welcomed Cole at the airport.

Wang expressed big hopes for what the rapper’s presence could mean for the league.

“[J. Cole] coming to China can really raise the CBA’s profile on a global scale,” Wang said. “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.”

The team originally made Cole an offer last year.

Despite Signing On With the Team, J. Cole Says He’s ‘Not in the Best of Shape’

Cole acknowledged he is not in peak shape, having spent recent months focused on his latest album. But he is approaching the opportunity with a sense of urgency — and fun.

“I’m looking at the clock like, boy, I’m getting older. This might be my last shot,” he told Cam’Ron.

“I’m going to keep my word to them and show up and play a couple of games, although I know I’m not in the best of shape because the album. I’m going to go out there and have fun with it,” he added.

The Nanjing program has previously included NBA players Willie Cauley-Stein, Tacko Fall and Antonio Blakeney.

J. Cole Has a Well-Documented Longtime Love of the Game

Basketball has been a thread running through Cole’s life and career.

The 6-foot-3 guard played high school basketball in Fayetteville, N.C., and accepted an academic scholarship to St. John’s University, where he tried out for the Red Storm as a walk-on in the early 2000s.

He played in the NBA Celebrity Game in 2012 and appeared on the cover of basketball magazine SLAM in May 2021.

Basketball references have been a large part of his music throughout his career, and he has cited Steph Curry’s career as a personal inspiration.

His stint in China will be his third time playing in a professional sports league.

In 2021, he played three games with the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League, averaging 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds, according to the New York Times.

In 2022, he played five games with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, averaging 2.4 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists.

J. Cole’s ‘The Fall-Off’ Tour Tips Off In July

Born Jermaine Lemarr Cole, J. Cole is a Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer. He won a Grammy in 2020 for Best Rap Song for “A Lot” by 21 Savage, on which he was featured.

He has earned multiple platinum albums throughout his career and has produced songs for Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Young Thug and others.

Cole released his latest album, The Fall-Off, in February. He was discussing the album during a recent media tour, which is where the basketball news first came up.

The Fall-Off tour kicks off July 11 in Charlotte, N.C.