Grammy-winning rapper J. Cole leaves Toronto basketball team after 4 games to tour
Acclaimed American rapper, songwriter, producer, singer and Scarborough Shooting Stars guard J. Cole is reportedly abandoning his hoop dreams — at least for now — to fulfill touring obligations as part of his career outside the world of professional basketball.
Cole, 37, famously joined the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League in May, blowing the minds of local fans who were ecstatic over the prospect of running into the multi-talented celebrity right here in Toronto.
Sadly, the artist and athlete's time in the city was short-lived: He played only four games with the Shooting Stars before wrapping up his time on the team's current roster.
On Thursday night, after a solid performance including two three-pointers that helped lead Scarborough to a 99-81 win over the Newfoundland Growlers, Cole confirmed in an interview posted on his team's Instagram account that it would be his last game for a while.
"Man, it's been phenomenal," he said of his four-game stint in Canada.
"I was telling the guys in there like, 'I'm going for these shows, I'm not sure if I'll be back.' But just in case, I had to let them know how incredible this was. The players, the coaching staff, the organization, the league, it's a crazy thing when you see it on paper, when you see what’s actually happening, and they made me feel so welcome."
While he couldn't confirm if he'd be back — despite the fact that he would eventually like to be — Cole shouted out Canada, Toronto, and the borough of Scarbs specifically for welcoming him with open arms, raving about the people in his temporary town and even going so far as to say "Toronto slang is dope."
The rapper is now off to New York for some back-to-back performances at the Governor's Ball Music Festival before heading across the country and world on the summer 2022 festival circuit.
