Yankee Rapper's Hoop Dreams Take Flight in China
By James Moreau | 12 Apr, 2026

To top his chart-topping album The Fall Off, hip-hop icon J. Cole will take a long shot as a shooting-guard with the CBA's Nanjing Monkey Kings.

American stars have a long history of making massive waves in Chinese basketball.  Most famously, former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury became a living legend in the Chinese Basketball Association, winning three championships with the Beijing Ducks and earning both a statue and a museum in his honor.  Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas also drew massive crowds, proving that the CBA eagerly embraces American star power.

International eyes are on the CBA once again after the Nanjing Monkey Kings latest signing – not a veteran NBA star, but rapper J. Cole.  While he is known for multi-platinum masterpieces like 2014 Forest Hills Drive and a Grammy wins for “A Lot” and “All My Life,” he’s had lifelong hoop dreams.

Before choosing to pursue music, 6’3” rapper/shooting guard walked on at St. John’s and later turned heads at the 2012 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game by throwing down an alley-oop with the assist coming from Kevin Hart.  In 2021 Jermaine Cole joined the Patriots BBC in the Basketball Africa League, suiting up for 3 games, averaging 1.7 points per game.  The following year he suited up during four games for the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Scarborough Shooting Stars. He averaged 2.4 points over four games.

Though the CBA awards a domestic and international MVP, J. Cole fans obviously should not expect the now 41-year-old to mirror Starbury’s MVP-level dominance.  With likely another short stint on the horizon, hip-hop heads can appreciate Cole looking to scratch a last itch and bringing global eyes to the Monkey Kings.

Cole’s signing notably follows the February release of his highly anticipated seventh studio album, The Fall Off, which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200.