J. Cole Is Training for A Career in the NBA, According to Master P

The rapper and Dreamville founder is reportedly adding “basketball star” to his extensive resume.

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J. Cole could now be following a career in the NBA, says Master P in a recent interview with TMZ Sports. The former basketball player – who already sported a successful rap career before scoring an NBA contract in the ‘90s – revealed Cole is currently “training his ass off” in hopes of making it big in the league.

P offered some sound advice for the 35-year-old rapper and Dreamville Records founder, who already has a solid basketball background (he even tried out for St. John’s University before deciding to focus on his music career) and is a regular on the celebrity basketball circuit. Discussing a lengthy conversation he had with Cole about joining the league, P shared: “I said, to get one of these NBA jerseys, it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna be a lot of hate, it’s gonna be a lot of people not believing in you but you know J. Cole — he got the right size, he in the gym!”

“But, what I told him … this a different time we’re in. They’re going to pick you apart! You’re gonna have to be able to hit every shot and if you don’t hit every shot, they — you know in the NBA, they don’t hit every shot but they believe in them. So, you’re gonna have to go somewhere where the team really believe in you and the players believe in you,” he added.

The rap mogul also told Cole that his established fame won’t be an easy way into the NBA. In fact, he’s convinced that Cole will have to work harder just to get his foot in the door.

“They’ve been putting their whole life into this. So, you’re gonna have to prove you’re worthy of being on that court,” P said. “I believe in him and I believe that he’s a youngster that has a lot of desire.”

What it comes down to, says P, is “either you’re gonna be good enough to play or you’re gonna get exposed.”

P and Cole recently worked together on a PUMA commercial that showed Cole on the court. P, who served as the voiceover on the commercial, recited, “I know you ain’t ‘bout to try to do what I think you ‘bout to try to do… I mean, what’s the odds? I know you got more sense in that, youngblood. Hold up, I think the homie really tryin’ to do it.”

Watch J. Cole’s impressive basketball skills below:

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