Rapper J. Cole Joins Chinese Basketball Team Nanjing Monkey Kings

The Grammy-winning artist will play a few games for the high-profile Chinese team.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:11pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in a cubist style, with sharp, overlapping geometric planes depicting the energy and movement of a basketball game or match. Bright, vibrant colors represent the uniforms and energy of the sport.J. Cole's move to the Chinese Basketball Association brings a unique blend of music and professional sports, with the rapper's star power potentially elevating the league's global profile.Fayetteville Today

Rapper J. Cole, who has previously played basketball in Rwanda and Canada, has now joined the Chinese basketball team the Nanjing Monkey Kings. The 41-year-old musician will play a few games for the Monkey Kings, a prominent team that has featured other American and international players with NBA experience.

Why it matters

Cole's move to the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) represents a high-profile crossover between the worlds of music and professional sports, potentially raising the global profile of the CBA. As a minority owner of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, Cole's involvement could also help facilitate more opportunities for Chinese players to train and play in the United States.

The details

J. Cole, a 6'3" rapper, has previously played basketball for teams in Rwanda and Canada, averaging around 2 points per game. He has now committed to playing a few games for the Nanjing Monkey Kings, a prominent CBA team that has featured other American and international players with NBA experience, including Willie Cauley-Stein, Antonio Blakeney, and Tacko Fall.

  • In 2021, Cole played 3 games for the Basketball Africa League's Rwanda Patriots.
  • In 2022, Cole joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Scarborough Shooting Stars in Toronto.
  • In 2012, Cole played in the NBA Celebrity Game.

The players

J. Cole

A 41-year-old Grammy-winning rapper who has previously played basketball professionally in Rwanda and Canada, and is now joining the Chinese basketball team Nanjing Monkey Kings.

Nanjing Monkey Kings

A high-profile team in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) that has featured other American and international players with NBA experience.

Zhen Wang

The general manager of the Nanjing Monkey Kings, who expressed hope that Cole's involvement could help raise the CBA's global profile and facilitate more opportunities for Chinese players to train and play in the U.S.

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What they’re saying

“[J. Cole] coming to China can really raise the CBA's profile on a global scale. Since he's the minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, we're hoping that through his position, he can maybe help more of our domestic players get opportunities to train and play in the U.S.”

— Zhen Wang, General Manager, Nanjing Monkey Kings

What’s next

The Nanjing Monkey Kings have not specified the exact number of games J. Cole will play for the team, but it is expected to be a limited engagement as the rapper continues his music career.

The takeaway

J. Cole's move to the Chinese Basketball Association represents a unique crossover between the worlds of music and professional sports, potentially raising the global profile of the CBA and creating new opportunities for Chinese players to train and play in the NBA through Cole's connections as a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets.