A closer look at J. Cole's love affair with basketball and the NBA

Famous rapper J. Cole was recently seen practicing with the Orlando Magic, sending rap music enthusiasts and NBA basketball fans into a frenzy. The NBA has seen various collaborations between players and rappers, but J. Cole remains perhaps the most popular rap artist to share a close association with the game.

Cole has a long and withstanding relationship with the NBA and basketball, and in this article, we delve deep into his love for the game.

Rapper J. Cole's relationship with the NBA and the game of basketball

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Back in May, J. Cole played in his first professional basketball game as a 2-guard for the Rwanda Patriots Basketball Club, part of the newly formed Basketball Africa League. At the time, he had just released his much-anticipated studio album "The Offseason", which was reviewed favorably by critics and also did well commercially.

The album's title is a reference to the NBA offseason, and had several mentions of both NBA players and teams in various songs. The same month the album was released, Cole also flirted with the idea of trying out for an NBA team, giving hints that he was trying to earn a contract in the league.

J. Cole's love for the game of basketball goes back to his childhood days, when he used to play regularly. However, he didn't find much success in school, getting cut from the high school team twice. In his sophomore year at St. John’s, he tried out as a walk-on and made it to the final 10 players who would get a second tryout, but then returned to focus on his music career.

The Detroit Pistons also sent out a tweet aimed at J. Cole extending an invitation to work with them, but that was more of a social media gimmick. Cole is not a basketball prodigy and never possessed the mettle to make it in the NBA. However, he certainly excels in pick-up games, as can be seen in his training videos which are posted on social media from time to time.

J. Cole has a very close relationship with the NBA and its stars, and him being present at the NBA All-Star Weekend and performing at the NBA All-Star game half-time show is a big example of that. He was also a part of the NBA All-Star dunk contest when the then New York Knicks player Dennis Smith Jr. performed a dunk by jumping over Cole, who was seated in his chair.