SPORTS

Fayetteville rapper J. Cole makes professional basketball debut in Rwanda

The Fayetteville Observer

Fayetteville-raised rapper J. Cole made his professional basketball debut Sunday in Africa.

On the same weekend the Grammy Award-winning artist released his new album, “The Off-Season,” Cole suited up for the Rwanda Patriots in the inaugural game of the Basketball Africa League.

Rocking a No. 15 jersey, the same number he wore in his two varsity seasons at Terry Sanford High School in the early 2000s, Cole scored three points, snagged three rebounds and dished out two assists in nearly 18 minutes on the court.

The 36-year-old Cole came off the bench in the Patriots’ 83-60 win against the Nigeria Rivers Hoopers, scoring his first career bucket on a putback layup in the first half at Rwanda’s Kigali Arena.

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Cole played the final 5-plus minutes of the first quarter and scored in the final minute when he grabbed an offensive rebound in transition and made a putback layup. He scored his final point on a technical free throw with 3:46 left in the first half to extend Rwanda’s lead to 16 points.

The Patriots are scheduled to face GNBC (Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club) at 8 a.m. Wednesday before facing US Monastir, a Tunisian team, on Saturday afternoon at 3.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com.