The Scarborough Shooting Stars have announced the signing of J. Cole
The Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) have announced the signing of Superstar rapper J. Cole for their inaugural season. Cole has stepped outside the box of your traditional rapper. Last season, J.Cole made his professional debut with the Rwanda Patriots Basketball Club of the Basketball of Africa League (BAL). In three games with the Patriots, the hip-hop megastar averaged 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists. Aside from what many have called a lack-lustered performance, Cole openly expressed his passion and desire to play professionally. The BAL brought Cole into the league with the idea of leveraging his unique commercial value and media attention.
Several factors played a part in the growth potential of NBA Africa. Following the BAL's inaugural season, NBA Africa added the former U.S. President Barack Obama to their roster as a strategic partner and minority owner. NBA Africa's market value is nearly $1 Billion with investments from Adam Silver, Dikembe Mutombo, Grant Hill and Junior Bridgeman. The 37-year-old NC native emerged as a standout at Terry Sanford High School. Cole then attended St. John University, where he nearly walked on as a sophomore. After not making the final tryout, Cole decided to pursue his music career full time, putting the hoop dreams on hold.
J.Cole returns to the hardwood, suiting up with the Scarbrough Shooting Stars in the Candian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Scarborough Shooting Stars will tip-off their inaugural season on May 26th vs the Guelph Nighthawks. Cole can potentially play five games before heading out on tour on June 10th. Cole will miss a big part of the season to fulfil his career obligations. Will Cole bounce back from his BAL stint?
What does this do for the business of the cebl?
Photo Credit (SPORTSNET)
Superstar Rapper playing in the CEBL changes the entire dynamics of the league. From a marketing standpoint, Cole will now become the official face of the league. The overall brand will become synonymous with the apparent professional sports leagues across Canada. The CEBL commissioner Mike Morreale is pleased with the incremental growth of the league.
“Last night the CEBL Leagure launched into a whole new world. A world that makes #ourgame better and most importanly shines a light on Canada Basketball which has always been our #1 priority.” - Mike Morreale
In its fourth season, the CEBL has become responsible for bringing diverse talents from the NBA, FIBA, and Canada Basketball. The CEBL will see viewership and revenue dollars go through the roof, and the affiliation with a hip-hop megastar will help the CEBL reach a wider targeted audience. The direct results of signing J.Cole has sparked the Scarborough Shooting Stars and the league into a whole new galaxy.
Fans across Canada await Cole's debut in the CEBL, and with extreme demands, ticket prices have skyrocketed to over $550. These implications can cause an increase in ticket sales across the entire league. In more recent years, we’ve seen the intersection of Hip-Hop and sports. This new era of sports culture provides organizations like the CEBL with access to capture a wider diverse audience than the average sports league.
Scarborough Shooting Stars to bring new energy to CEBL
Photo Courtesy (CEBL)
The Scarborough Shooting Stars are one of three new expansion franchises added for the 2022 season. Co-Owner Nicholas (Niko) Carino, one of the founding members of OVO, has leveraged the intersection of music and sports, working alongside global rap star Drake. Carino is responsible for the launch of the OVO BOUNCE basketball tournament. Joining Carino in ownership is Sam Ibrahim, who's a partner of the Playground Global Basketball complex. The Shooting Stars are the only independently-owned franchise in the CEBL.
The Shooting Stars franchise has made some key acquisitions hiring front office staff. The front office staff includes Canadian Basketball icon Jamal Magloire as the VP and Senior Advisor. Magloire played 13 seasons in the NBA and is one of three Canadians to be named an NBA all-star. Brady Heslip, a National team member, will serve as the General Manager for the Shooting Stars. Heslip has a diverse background, with experiences from the NCAA, NBA, and overseas. Heslip is also the nephew of Canada Basketball coach Jay Triano.
Leading the charge for the Shooting Stars will be Head Coach Chris Exilus, a former NCAA player at Virginia Tech and DePaul. In his first season as a head coach, Exilus hopes to impart his basketball knowledge and experience to his ball club. The roster includes forward Kyle Alexander, Danilo Djuricic, Kalif Young, Jean-Victor Mukama, and veteran Olu Famutimi. Will J.Cole provide the Shooting Stars will a well-needed spark? or will this unique buzz fade once Cole departs for his tour? The Scarborough Shooting Stars will be the team of the GTA and will open its doors on June 4th vs. The Hamilton Honey Badgers at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.