Grammy Award-winning rapper set to play professional basketball in China J. Cole, the Grammy Award-winning rapper known for his album “The Fall Off,” has announced he will play professional basketball in China for the Nanjing Monkey Kings. This move follows his previous stints playing professionally overseas, including in the Basketball Africa League and the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Cole views this as a final opportunity to pursue his passion for basketball professionally.

• J. Cole has signed a contract to play professional basketball in China for the Nanjing Monkey Kings.
• The team is part of the Chinese Basketball Association.
• Cole previously played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League (2021) and the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (2022).
• He described playing professionally as scratching a ‘last itch’ and a potential ‘last shot’ before getting older.
• J. Cole also hinted that the Monkey Kings had offered him to play last year.
• He is also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, part of the group that purchased the team from Michael Jordan.