Rapper J. Cole of the Rwanda Patriots BBC has completed his contractual obligation to the Basketball Africa League and has departed from Rwanda because of a “family obligation,” a source told ESPN’s The Undefeated.
Jermaine Cole had 5 points, 3 assists and 5 rebounds in 45 minutes of three preliminary games. The expectation was that the Grammy Award-winning rapper would play in three to six games. The Patriots BBC play Mozambique’s Ferroviario de Maputo in the playoff quarterfinals on Thursday.
The inaugural 12-team Basketball Africa League began play in Kigali, Rwanda, on May 16, and the championship game is Sunday. The BAL received a lot of extra publicity throughout the basketball and entertainment world with the popular Cole joining the league, but there were limitations on the use of his likeness.
Not all players were happy Cole joined. Morocco AS Sale guard Terrell Stoglin told ESPN that Cole’s addition was “disrespectful to the ones who sacrificed their whole lives for this.” He felt that Cole was taking a roster spot of someone whose only career is basketball.
The BBC UK first reported Cole leaving the league.