J. Cole can add another eight minutes of play time to his professional basketball resume.
The rapper/athlete played his first game with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) on Saturday (April 11) after signing a three-game contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings on April 1. Unfortunately for Cole, his first game was also his last.
In a Sunday (April 12) post to his blog, The Algorithm, Cole shared that he had to leave China after playing his first match due to issues with his visa. He explained that the process of getting a work visa in Hong Kong took longer than he expected, and that he had to head back after the one game.
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In his CBA debut, the rapper took to the court for eight minutes. Though he did not score any points like he had hoped to, Cole still expressed his gratitude to his team and the CBA for the opportunity.
“I want to say thank you to the Nanjing club and to the CBA for allowing me to have that incredible experience,” Cole wrote. “Also to my teammates who were mad cool, and who really wanted me to get a bucket!”
He continued by sharing that maybe he would’ve gotten a few shots in with some more games but “either way [he’s] fulfilled and grateful.”
Cole went on to express his love for China, sharing that it was the first time he and his family were able to experience the country. He also shouted out his music fans who came out to support him during his basketball game.
“I didn’t realize there were so many people in China that rocked with my music,” he wrote. “Thank you to everybody who showed up and brought an album to sign.”
Although he didn’t get to play long, Cole has still played more professional basketball than most musicians. The CBA is the third professional league that the rapper has signed and played with, following stints with the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022.
Cole is taking a break from sports while he heads off to focus on his other career. This summer the rapper will embark on The Fall-Off Tour in support of his seventh studio album, The Fall-Off, which became his seventh Billboard 200-topping album. The 15-country tour begins on July 11 in Charlotte, N.C. and will wrap on Dec. 12 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Afterward, fans might get to catch him play another game or two with the CBA.
“I told the team that if I could stay in shape I would be down to play for a longer amount of games next year after I’m done with tour,” he wrote. “I’m wildin????…we’ll see.”
