Jermaine Lamarr Cole, better known as J. Cole, gave fans his final musical invention. ‘The Fall-Off’ is advertised as Cole’s final album. The legendary rapper will tour the world to celebrate his final release. However, Cole’s first love was basketball, and the 41-year-old is returning to professional play this season.

According to Shams Charania, “J. Cole has signed a contract to play in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Nanjing Monkey Kings, per ESPN sources. The multi-time Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum artist had committed to playing a few games for the Chinese team last year, and now follows through.”

This marks Cole’s first return to pro basketball in approximately four years, following his brief 2022 stint with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in Canada’s CEBL (where he appeared in a handful of games) and his earlier 2021 appearances with the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League.

Similar to his agreement with the Kings, Cole didn’t appear throughout the season. He prefers to make sporadic appearances. That’s the kind of life when you are one of the most highly regarded music stars in the industry. Across his two stints in pro leagues, the most points the rapper scored in a game were six.

Cole’s crossover attempt is part of a fascinating trend of musicians and celebrities trying their hand at professional sports. A notable example is rapper Master P (Percy Miller), who in the late 1990s earned preseason tryouts with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets (1998) and Toronto Raptors (1999).

The No Limit Records founder, who had a legitimate high school and college basketball background, even appeared in preseason games before being cut, showcasing how entertainers with real hoop dreams occasionally step onto pro courts.

With Cole set to go on tour for his album, his schedule is going to be packed. So far, Cole has played in 7 international games and scored 17 points in 93 minutes of action. Understandably, Cole can’t make a season-long commitment to Nanjing. His finding time to pursue his passion is the ultimate nod to basketball. He is a huge fan of the game. The rapper is often spotted sitting courtside at several NBA games.

Cole has also played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game before. But going professional was something the musician decided he needed to do. He wanted to test his own limits and what pouring his all into basketball could look like.

Why J. Cole relishes the competitive side of basketball

One player changed the way J. Cole thought about his own basketball talents. He sees Stephen Curry as the most influential player in a sport of giants. That’s what made Cole hopeful about pushing himself. The goal wasn’t to play professional basketball. He just wanted to see what working diligently could lead to. In that work, he rediscovered his passion for basketball. The glamour or the money didn’t get him when the ‘Work Out’ singer hung basketball posters in his room. Cole loved how basketball rewards those who put in the hours.

“I know what it’s like to get better than I was yesterday, or a week ago, or a month ago, or a year ago. That’s what I love about basketball. I can measure my growth. I can see it. I can watch how bad I was, how regular I was, and how much better I’ve gotten in this one area. And I feel like I need that in my life,” Cole recently told Carmelo Anthony.

At his age, Cole may not commit to playing an entire season of professional basketball. But in his stints in both Africa and Canada, the two-time Grammy-winning artist showed he belongs on the court. With the work ethic he carries, J. Cole could surprise many of his fans when he takes the court in China.