Grammy-Award-winning rapper J. Cole has reportedly signed a contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings to play in the Chinese Basketball Association.
The 41-year-old is a music megastar who has amassed a host of gongs including at the Grammy Awards and Billboard Music Awards. He is also a minority owner in the Charlotte Hornets NBA team.
But on Thursday, ESPN reported that Cole – whose first name is Jermaine – is making his third foray into professional sports.
The rap star reportedly committed to playing a handful of games for the Monkey Kings last year and is now keeping that promise.
Back in 2021, Cole played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League and the following year he played in Canada with the Scarborough Shooting Stars.
The rapper was born on a US military base in Germany before growing up in North Carolina, where he played high school basketball.
J. Cole has reportedly signed a contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings to play in China
Back in 2021, the rapper played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League
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The 41-year-old has made six Platinum albums and has also produced songs for fellow megastars including Kendrick Lamar. Cole’s most recent album, ‘The Fall-Off,’ was released earlier this year.
The Washington Wizards, meanwhile, came under fire over an April Fools’ Day prank that went wrong.
On Wednesday night, during their 153-131 defeat by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Wizards called up a ‘fan’ to attempt a blindfolded half-court shot to win $10,000.
His attempt flew high over the basket and but he was soon swarmed by mascots who cheered as though he had made the shot. The announcer, meanwhile, called out: ‘Somebody’s rich!’
It wasn’t until the ‘supporter’ saw a replay of his wayward shot that the prank became clear. Following a backlash, the Wizards apologized for the ‘joke that left many wondering if we had misled the fan.’
‘The skit involving our mascot and other members of our performance team was scripted and intended to celebrate the day.
‘All participants were in on the joke, but we missed the mark. Our fans are our priority, and we continue to be committed to providing a positive experience to all who attend our games.’
