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Report: Rapper J. Cole Signs Professional Basketball Contract

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Apr 2, 2026 10:57 AM ET

If you're passionate about something pursue it. This is advice rapper J. Cole has taken to heart through the years, going from one of the most decorated rappers of the 21st century to now being a pro basketball player.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the two-time Grammy winner has signed a professional contract to play for the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association. This will be his third pro basketball stint after previously playing for the Patriots BBC of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2021 and the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022.

J. Cole played three games for the BAL, recording five points, three assists and five rebounds in 45 minutes. In Canada, he averaged 2.4 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game while shooting 50-percent from 3-point range.

Charania reported that J. Cole will likely have a similar setup in China, playing just a handful of games under his contract. The CBA regular season ends in just a few weeks anyway. There are only 10 games left on the schedule and at 11-21 overall, the Monkey Kings are not likely to make the playoffs.

This is the third time J. Cole will play in a professional basketball league -- and now it's one of the biggest internationally. J. Cole also played in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022. https://t.co/Uxza3NwcbE
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 2, 2026

J. Cole & Basketball

While he may be most famous for his rap music, J. Cole has been passionate about basketball since he was a kid. He played high school basketball and was a walk-on at St. John's.

In recent years, he has made it clear that he wanted to train to be a pro basketball player with the ultimate dream of playing in the NBA. At 41 years of age though, that doesn't seem possible.

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However, not a lot of people with dreams of playing pro basketball actually manage to make it a reality. So hopefully he enjoys his time in China.

The Nanjing Monkey Kings have actually had a number of former NBA and college stars don their uniform. Former No. 6 overall pick Willie Cauley-Stein played the most recent games of his career for them, and former college basketball big man Tacko Fall played for them in a couple of stints between 2023 and 2025.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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