Middle Child’s J Cole Giving NBA Players Buckets
It’s day 2 of Blackops Basketball in New York City and tonight’s run’s featured Trae Young, Carmelo Anthony, Rondae Hollis Jefferson, Dennis Smith Jr., and Hip Hop Artist J.Cole. That’s right J Cole, and during the runs, earlier this evening, he was pulling from deep. He even hit a game point during one of the games.
There was a time in J. Cole’s life where he had hoop dreams at a young age, while as a high school student at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Cole spent two seasons as a part of his high school varsity team.
However, according to an interview, Cole did with Ballislife.com in 2012, he spent his freshmen and sophomore years as a team manager.
I became the manager of the team. Now, you would think that next year I’d just make the team off of GP [general principle]. Don’t you know my name was on the cut list? I was heartbroken. You talk about disbelief. I realized I had to kick it into [gear] the next year.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated in 2013, talked about being able to start in high school his senior.
“I tried out for the team my freshman year and I got cut. I couldn’t understand because I thought I was really good, so I blamed the coaches and thought they had it out for me. Then I went out the next year and I got cut again. And that’s when I really had to take an honest look at myself and be like, yo, why did this happen? It’s got to be on me now. I can’t blame anybody else.
That was the first time I started working like a real basketball player: a thousand shots a day, sprints, minute drills, a one-on-one full court with the star player on the team, every day, literally, for the entire school year than the entire summer. Then I also sprouted up to 6-foot-2. By the time next season came around, I made the team. By the time I was a senior, I was finally starting. I wasn’t the star player, far from it, but my growth was so quick that by the time I was a freshman in college, I had the talent of someone that should have at least been on the bench at a D-I school,” said Cole.
Cole talked about possibly walking on at St.John’s with an academic scholarship, but after watching some of his friends have to get up and practice two to three times a day. He thought better of it and plus he wanted to pursue a career as a rapper.
“I would have had to turn into this guy who had to practice two or three times a day and wake up at six in the morning.
Plus, I was in love with music and I knew I wanted to rap. So I had to make a decision that I knew was going to change the trajectory of my life. I called my coach from high school. I called one of my friends who was a star player in high school. And I didn’t go the next day. In my mind, I’d have made the team. Who knows what would have really happened? But I knew I wasn’t ready for that type of commitment and that lifestyle,” said Cole.
Back in February, J Cole not only performed in front of a sold-out crowd during All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also participated in one of Dennis Smith Jr. dunk attempts during the dunk contest.
The collaboration caught the eye of Smith’s former employer Chairman of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban.
” I was really happy for him. You can tell that he really didn’t practice, so I wish he would be done some practicing. I’ll tell you though when J Cole put up that lob, and he finished that was sweet it, I thought it was over then, Diallo jumping over Shaq like that was impressive,” said Cuban.
Landon Buford is an accomplished sports and entertainment journalist based in Richardson, Texas, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, WWE, MLB, and the entertainment industry. Known for delivering high-impact stories and headline-making interviews, Buford has earned a global audience through content that blends insider access with compelling storytelling.
He previously served as director of editorial and brand communications at PlayersTV, where he helped shape the platform’s editorial voice and brand identity. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of LandonBuford.com—an independent outlet with more than 1.6 million views and syndication from major platforms including Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports. Buford’s interviews with stars like Gary Payton, Kevin Durant, Mark Cuban and Chris Paul showcase his talent for meaningful, in-depth conversations.
His bylines have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Heavy.com, Meta’s Bulletin and One37pm, where he has contributed exclusive interviews, breaking news and cultural insights. At Heavy.com, his work drew more than a million views in just eight months, and at One37pm, it contributed to record-breaking traffic numbers.
His work highlights the intersection of sports, fashion, music, and entrepreneurship—showcasing how athletes and entertainers use their platforms to inspire change, influence trends, and shape culture beyond the game. Landon has interviewed a wide range of figures from the NBA, NFL, and entertainment industries, consistently bringing authentic voices and untold stories to the forefront.
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