J. Cole might not be playing at the highest level of basketball, but the rapper is being honored as such in an upcoming video game. The Grammy award-winning artist is officially going to be on the cover of NBA 2K23 “Dreamer Edition” and will be a playable character, the company announced Thursday. The combination of his music and basketball careers, Cole said in a statement, are what made him a good fit to be featured in the game.
The game is set to be released on Sept. 9 and will only be available at GameStop in the United States and Canada.
“NBA 2K has long been a place to discover new musical talent through their game and continues to be a gold standard for showcasing all things basketball culture,” said Cole, who will also appear in the game’s MyCAREER mode. “It’s been an amazing journey to not only appear on a cover of this year’s game, but to be part of the MyCAREER storyline, soundtrack and bring the Dreamer brand into NBA 2K.”
The game will also mark the return of the “Jordan Challenge,” which features key moments from NBA legend Michael Jordan’s career.
J. Cole is primarily known for his music career, but he is also a professional basketball player who signed a contract with the Canadian Basketball League’s Scarborough Shooting Stars in May. The following month, after playing four games, the 6-foot-3 guard stepped away to focus on his touring schedule.
Prior to signing with the Shooting Stars, J. Cole played three preliminary games with the Rwanda Patriots BBC during the Basketball Africa League in 2021 before stepping away due to a “family obligation,” according to ESPN’s Marc Spears.
J. Cole now joins an impressive list of cover athletes for NBA 2K23: Jordan and Suns star Devin Booker each have their own cover, and WNBA legends Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird share one of their own.
