Rapper J. Cole makes pro hoops debut with Africa’s Patriots Basketball Club

Rapper J. Cole made his debut with the Patriots Basketball Membership on Sunday and held his personal on the courtroom within the Basketball Africa League.

Cole, whose actual title is Jermaine Cole, completed with three factors, three rebounds and two assists in slightly below 18 minutes of motion because the Patriots, who’re primarily based in Kigali, Rwanda, took on the Rivers Hoopers Basketball Membership. His first factors got here on a putback layup off of a miss by Steve Hagumintwari within the remaining minute of the primary quarter.

Cole, 36, trailed the play and put the ball again up off the left aspect for his first skilled basket. Within the second quarter, Cole added a free throw on a technical. He missed each his area purpose makes an attempt within the second half.

This isn’t Cole’s first foray into hoops. He was a standout basketball participant in highschool and performed briefly for St. John’s as a walk-on. The sport was the primary recreation within the BAL, which is a joint effort between the NBA and FIBA.

It’s been an enormous week for Cole. He launched his album “The Off-Season” — the quilt artwork of which exhibits Cole standing in entrance of a basketball purpose on hearth. On the album, he shouted out many NBA stars, together with Ja Morant and Russell Westbrook.