Grammy-winning rapper J. Cole makes debut in Chinese basketball league

The Grammy-winning rapper made his first appearance for the Nanjing Monkey Kings on April 11 following his high-profile signing earlier this year.

Despite the buzz surrounding his arrival, Nanjing fell 95-81 to the Guangzhou Loong Lions in the regular-season game.

The 41-year-old rapper, who is 1.88 m tall and has long been open about his professional hoops ambitions, played eight minutes off the bench. While he struggled to find his rhythm, missing all five of his three-point attempts and finishing without a point, he contributed one rebound and one assist.

Cole’s impact on the atmosphere was undeniable despite not scoring. He sparked a massive cheer from the home crowd when he came on with two minutes remaining in the second quarter.

The welcome poster of J. Cole to Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association. Photo by Nanjing Monkey Kings

With this debut, Cole set a new league milestone, surpassing former NBA star Stephon Marbury, who retired at 40 years old, as the oldest overseas player in CBA history.

Nanjing general manager Wang Zhen revealed that Cole had expressed a serious desire to play professional basketball during a meeting in the U.S. last July.

"He wants to chase that dream, and it aligns with our philosophy," Wang said, as quoted by Xinhua. "His presence will help elevate the CBA's global profile."

It’s notable that Cole holds a minority stake in the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. This connection has raised the prospect of future partnerships, including opportunities for Chinese players to train or even compete in the U.S. and the potential for CBA to attract more international talent.

This marks Cole's third stint in professional basketball. He previously turned up for the Patriots BBC in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022.

Wang indicated that Cole is likely to remain with the team into next season. He suggested that the rapper's close ties with NBA icons such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry could help Nanjing recruit more high-profile talent to the league.

J. Cole, real name Jermaine Cole, is considered one of the best rappers of his generation. He has released seven studio albums and each of them has gone platinum. He has also won two Grammy Awards from 17 nominations