Was J Cole’s move from hip-hop to pro basketball a mere marketing stunt?

Was J Cole’s move from hip-hop to pro basketball a mere marketing stunt?

Was J Cole’s move from hip-hop: On Sunday, the Scarborough Shooting Stars almost won the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) championship. 

They lost by only two points to the Hamilton Honey Badgers, who scored 17 points in a row late in the game. Although they fell short in the title game, Scarborough’s inaugural season was a success with the presence of high-scoring backcourt players Jalen Harris and Kassius Robertson.

Against the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic and they scored 31 points for Harris. Despite his NBA pedigree, however, Harris is not even the most recognizable point guard for his squad. In this case, the honor goes to J. Cole, a rapper who has won a Grammy. Or, more precisely, Shooting Stars guard Jermaine Cole, who stands 6 feet, 3 inches tall.

Since the birth of hip-hop in 1970s New York, there has been an everlasting connection between the genre and the sport of basketball. Rap pioneer Kurtis Blow famously declared his love for basketball in the ’80s, rap mogul Master P played for the Charlotte Hornets and the Toronto Raptors in the ’90s, and platinum-selling rapper 2 Chainz produced an album titled Rap or Go to the League in the ’10s.

One day, comedian Dave Chappelle remarked that rapping and basketball looked to be the only two routes to get out of America’s inner cities. J. Cole may be the only individual who more exemplifies the bond between hip hop and basketball than he is, despite the long history of influence between the two genres.

Ansh Sanyal, senior marketing director of the CEBL, is quick to correct, “Jermaine Cole.” That’s his nickname on the court.

Basketball

Cole’s life has revolved around basketball since he was a little boy. I always loved basketball, but I imagined I was lot better than I really was,” he told Sports Illustrated in an interview in 2013. Furthermore, he freely admits that despite having participated in high school sports, he was no standout. His freshman year tryout with St. John’s University’s varsity team was also unsuccessful. The turning moment for Cole was when he decided to devote his life to music. However, basketball was never the main event.

After years of working hard to build his rap career, Cole was finally able to play in venues where his basketball skills would be seen by a wider audience. His alley-oop in the 2012 NBA All-Star celebrity game, assisted by a pass from comedian Kevin Hart, is one of the most memorable moments of the otherwise forgettable event. Cole was able to go on from playing novelty basketball and into the professional ranks of the CEBL.

In all likelihood, marketing rather than basketball interests was behind Cole’s decision to play in the CEBL. Cole could finally fulfill his midlife narcissistic fantasy and play professional basketball. As a result of Cole’s appearance, the CEBL will earn millions of dollars worth of free publicity that it wouldn’t have had otherwise.

However, Sanyal is quick to point out that the signing of Cole was not made primarily for promotional purposes. “The main issue was, ‘Can he play?'” Says Sanyal, “Can he hold up? To add, “it looked like that was the case.”

Obviously, this is what a director of marketing would say. To put it simply, Cole is a 37-year-old musician who was a solid but not exceptional high school player. The numbers don’t back up his claims that he’s a good basketball player, however.

CEBL

Aside from guard Sarunas Vasiliakuskas (from Lithuania, where college basketball is less prominent), Cole is one of just two players on the Shooting Stars who did not play collegiate basketball. Before, he was a member of the Lithuanian national squad. On top of that, Cole is significantly older than the average CEBL player. Cole, despite his penchant for single-digit scoring, can still laugh about it. He “shattered [his] previous career high” after making two three-pointers against the Newfoundland Growlers and bragging about it on Instagram.

Finally, what do Cole’s teammates and coaches have to say about his abilities? He participated in St. John’s University women’s team practices to help hone their abilities. His teammates thought he was a solid player: “I thought he was decent,” Monique McLean, a former player for St. John’s, said of him to Bleacher Report in 2017. Being big and long, his greatest strength was just getting to the hoop. He had a little bit of shooting ability and was good at finishing around the hoop.

Fred Quartlebaum, who was the assistant men’s basketball coach at St. John’s when J. Cole played there, said of the rapper, “I think he made the proper choice, in terms of a music career.”

The more details are known about the scenario, the less likely it is that he is there for any reason other than financial gain.

To be sure, this isn’t the first time problems like these have been mentioned. Many of the same issues arose during Cole’s 2021 season with the Rwanda Patriots of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). For his part, guard Terrell Stoglin claimed that he felt “someone who deserves it” had lost their position to Cole.

During Cole’s time with the Patriots, former University of Maryland standout Stoglin was a member of the AS Sale of the British Basketball League. It is incredibly demeaning to the game for a man with so much money and another career to come here and average, like, one point a game and still get celebrated. It shows a total lack of regard for the people who gave their life for this.

Players

Although Stoglin may speak for many players when he says that Cole is preventing a younger player who is more in need of a job and an opportunity to enter the professional game from being added to the roster, Stoglin did not play for Cole’s club. Even the athletes whose playing time is most affected by the rapper’s presence seem to respect and admire him.

Having been there himself, Scarborough forward Olu Famutimi can relate. There were games [in which Cole played] in which I wasn’t on the active roster since the CEBL allows only 10 players per game. In my opinion, it was fine. To be honest, I was eager to play, but as a veteran, I could see why it wouldn’t be possible.

Being the oldest Shooting Stars player at 38 (other than Cole), Famutimi has seen a lot and has some interesting perspectives to share. Having made history in 2003 by becoming the first Canadian ever selected for the McDonald’s All-American team, he went on to represent his country in the Olympics, where he faced off against legends like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. To guard Dwyane Wade, according to Famutimi, was the most difficult assignment of his career. “I felt like I was contesting his knees on every jump shot he made.”

During his career, Famutimi has played collegiate basketball in the United States, professional basketball in a number of different countries (France, Germany, and Turkey were among his favorites), and preseason NBA ball in the National Basketball Association. He was also quite confident that having Cole on the squad was beneficial.

Statements

I, like everyone else, thought [Cole’s signing] was a clever marketing ploy when I initially heard about it. Training camp, when he was working hard like everyone else, sweating bullets, and embracing team principles… He has our complete and utter regard. He worked hard and struggled for his chance to play, and he finally got it.

Cole’s time in the CEBL didn’t last very long at all. After only four games, he left to play music at major summer festivals. Famutimi, on the other hand, thinks that Cole’s time spent with the Shooting Stars was good for everyone. He claims, “We wanted him to stay.”

As a result, Cole’s teammates shared his enthusiasm. “I’m playing with some really incredible men,” he gushed. And the league, what they’re letting me accomplish and see by letting me play in this league is invaluable, so thank you very much for that.

Cole has made an impression, regardless of how well he played. Thanks to Jermaine Cole, “that light has been brought to the CEBL,” as Sanyal puts it. We knew we had something special to show off, and I think [Cole’s presence] helped bring more attention to that… it’s damned excellent basketball.

Obviously, this is what a director of marketing would say. Even so, many CEBL supporters and players, such as Cole, may counter that the opposite is also true.

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