Getting drafted into the NBA is a dream that millions of young basketball fans have while growing up. However, only a few can live that dream and it certainly isn’t a piece of cake to achieve it. Aspiring players are needed to give years and years of hard work and dedication just to get a chance at entering the draft. There have been thousands of individuals who have had to give up their dream because of falling short, in terms of skill. One such artist who made it big in the entertainment industry had to go through a similar rough experience that made him give up on basketball.

While the league drafts several new stars every year, only a few of them manage to achieve the level of stardom that active players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry have. This is why both players were ‘immortalized’ by an NBA fan who also happens to be a millionaire rapper.

The reason behind J. Cole’s failed NBA dream

Jermaine Cole is an American rapper who has received prestigious awards such as the Grammy and the Billboard Music. While the 38-year-old is widely known for his music, it was not the only goal he wanted to accomplish while growing up. During a recent interview with the Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers, Cole talked about the delusions he had regarding basketball. Myers asked him which among the two he loved more – basketball 0r music. Cole replied that he worked to achieve his dream of becoming an artist, whereas, everything he believed about becoming a basketball player was based on delusional thoughts. He explained that if it wasn’t for the rejections he faced while in high school, he wouldn’t have been where he was now.

Referring to the time he was cut off from the high school basketball team for two consecutive years, Cole said, “I had to get punched in the face two times. I love basketball so much and my delusion was high. So to get cut from the team was a gut punch. You know, I mean I literally could have cried when I looked at the list and my name wasn’t on there.”

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Furthermore, he added that for some people the pain of getting cut once? “… was too much to ever go back. I’m so grateful. It was like, ‘Nah, I’m gonna go back, I’m gonna try again’, and I got cut. It was the world saying, ‘Well, of course you got cut’. Like, I had to take a look in the mirror.”

Cole draws inspiration from LeBron James and Steph Curry

In 2021, J. Cole dropped a song called 100 . mil where he used King James’ name in one of the verses. The line went, “Burst through the ceiling, I?m feeling sublime. Can?t leave the game yet, I feel like LeBron.”?Interestingly, this was not the only NBA reference Cole made in his songs.

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In another song called 95 . South, Cole wrote, “I never sold soft, just creeped where the hustlers crept. And got they O’s off, you reach n**gas uppin’ like Steph.”

Do you think Cole would have been able to make it big in the league if he had used his time and energy to polish his skills? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!