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Rapper J. Cole signs contract with Canadian pro basketball team
American rapper and professional basketball player J. Cole is taking his talents to Bluffer's Beach, as the Canadian Elite Basketball League announced his signing with the Scarborough Shooting Stars Thursday evening.
The news was first reported by NBA insider Shams Charania, much to the shock and delight of Canadian Basketball Twitter.
I'm really happy that J. Cole is coming because aside from it just being cool, it's gonna shine a bright light on the CEBL and the Canadian hoops talent. People are gonna tune in/go to game for Cole, sure, but they're gonna be impressed by the level of play and overall talent 🇨🇦
— Oren Weisfeld (@OrenWeisfeld) May 20, 2022
This is incredible https://t.co/xu2Ujayjw5
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) May 20, 2022
new coachella 2030 jersey just dropped https://t.co/lPYvgOtJv2
— alex (@steven_lebron) May 20, 2022
We told Drake to convince Kawhi to stay in the city, but he brought J Cole to Scarborough instead.
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) May 20, 2022
the line to buy season tickets right now https://t.co/ucRhnKxrqb pic.twitter.com/a0Urp0pnu2
— Adam Krueger (@damkrueger) May 20, 2022
The Grammy-winning artist went from dropping singles to dropping dimes last year when he joined the Basketball Africa League in May 2021. In three games with the Rwandan-based Patriots Basketball Club, Cole scored five points, racked up three assists, and notched five rebounds in 45 minutes of floor time. He ultimately left following his three-game stint due to family obligations.
The Shooting Stars are set to open their season in just a few days when they take on the Guelph Nighthawks on the road on May 26.
Led by Toronto Raptors assistant coach, player development consultant and former NBA All-Star Jamaal Magloire, who serves as the Shooting Stars' VP, the allure of working with NBA-level talent may have helped sway Cole’s decision to join the CEBL. Magloire is also joined in the front office by longtime Canadian national team member and PanAm Games silver medalist Brady Heslip, who serves as the team’s general manager.
The CEBL, which began play in 2019, is a professional 10-team league featuring franchises from across Canada, making it the largest such league solely based north of the 49th parallel.
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