Rap superstar J. Cole signs with Toronto basketball team
The Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League will have an interesting rollcall when announcing its roster this season.
Chart-topping North Carolina rapper Jermaine Lamarr Cole -- better known as J.Cole -- has signed with the expansion outfit, the league announced Thursday.
"BREAKING: @sss--cebl have signed 6'3 guard, @JColeNC. He last played professionally in @theBAL," a tweet from the CEBL read.
Cole played last season for the Rwanda-based Patriots Basketball Club in the Basketball Africa League, an NBA-run 12-team league in the African continent.
Cole averaged 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in a little over 15 minutes per game in three games with Patriots BBC.
He joins a Scarborough team that will be playing its inaugural season after being announced as a new CEBL expansion club last summer.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The Shooting Stars are part-owned by Nicholas (Niko) Carino, one of the co-founders of famed clothing and lifestyle brand OVO (October's Very Own).
Among the staff of the Shooting Stars are Jamaal Magloire, a former NBA player and Toronto Raptors basketball development consultant and community ambassador who is the team's vice president and senior adviser, as well as Brady Heslip, a former sharpshooting Canadian national team member, who is the club's general manager.
Cole, 37, will likely have to step away from the team for much of the season.
J. Cole is having quite the weekend with not only the Friday release of his album, "The Off-Season," but also his debut in the Basketball African League. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images via CNN)
The Shooting Stars' first game is on May 26 as they visit the Guelph Nighthawks. Their first home game is June 4 against the Hamilton Honey Badgers.
After that, there's one more game, June 7, at home versus the Newfoundland Growlers before Cole would be able to play prior to going on tour.
Cole is to begin touring on June 10 in New York. When he begins his tour, Scarborough will still have 15 more games left to play.
The CEBL is a 10-team professional basketball league in Canada that plays its season during the summer months.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | 6 dead, 24 wounded in shooting at Chicago-area July 4 parade
At least six people died and 24 were wounded in a shooting at a July Fourth parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, and officers are searching for a suspect who likely fired on the festivities from a rooftop, police said Monday.
Former Sask. premier Brad Wall gave strategic advice to key convoy organizer
Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall was in contact with a key organizer of the Freedom Convoy anti-mandate protest, providing strategic advice before and after the Ottawa occupation began, according to court records obtained by CTV News.
Daughter of Toronto Blue Jays coach killed in 'terrible accident' while tubing in U.S.
The 17-year-old daughter of the Toronto Blue Jays' first base coach died in a 'terrible accident' while tubing in the U.S. this weekend.
U.S. man to be charged with kidnapping, rape after Edmonton teen found: Oregon police
A 41-year-old man will be charged with kidnapping and rape after an Edmonton girl who was missing for more than a week was found, Oregon City Police said.
'It's the real deal': Doctors warn about future wave fuelled by Omicron variants
COVID-19 cases are rising again in Canada, with the two fast-spreading Omicron sub-variants known as BA.4 and BA.5 to blame. CTVNews.ca has a guide to what you need to know about the new variants.
Canada signs $20B compensation agreement on First Nations child welfare
The federal government says it has signed a $20-billion final settlement agreement to compensate First Nations children and families harmed by chronic underfunding of child welfare.
Canadian airlines, airports top global list of delays over the weekend
Canadian airlines and airports claimed top spots in flight delays over the July long weekend, notching more than nearly any other around the world.
U.S. Capitol riot: More people turn up with evidence against Donald Trump
More witnesses are coming forward with new details on the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot following former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson's devastating testimony last week against former U.S. President Donald Trump, says a member of a U.S. House committee investigating the insurrection.
'He was a hero': Family says Ottawa man killed in fatal collision sacrificed himself
The family of an Ottawa man killed in a Canada Day crash in the west end says Tom Bergeron died exactly as he lived: selflessly thinking of others before himself.
Montreal
-
Dozens of firefighters battling blaze started by explosion in Monteregie
More than dozen fire trucks from municipalities across Montreal's South Shore are battling a major fire at an industrial produce building in the Monteregie on Monday morning.
-
2 million litres of milk dumped after Quebec dairy plant labour dispute
A labour dispute at a Quebec dairy plant has led to the dumping of 2 million litres of milk since Wednesday.
-
Trades, picks, signings? Habs GM confirms top three candidates
A few days ahead of the Montreal Canadiens first overall draft pick, general manager Kent Hughes says there are still three candidates in the running for the top spot.
London
-
One deceased, four taken to hospital following head on collision in Oxford County
One person has died and four others have been taken to hospital following a head on collision in the Township of Blandford-Blenheim, Ont. Monday afternoon.
-
Six people taken to hospital after 2 a.m. crash: Police
A Toronto man is charged after a Monday morning crash that sent six people to hospital, including four children, according to police.
-
Apartment fire in London, Ont. deemed suspicious by police
Damage is estimated at $150,000 after a "suspicious" Monday morning apartment fire south of the Hyde Park area, according to police.
Kitchener
-
'I was legitimately terrified': Encampment resident recounts armed police response
What ended up being a false alarm saw Waterloo regional police respond to a weapons call at a Kitchener encampment with guns drawn on Saturday.
-
Driveway paved without permission needs to be ripped up, says Puslinch, Ont. homeowner
A Puslinch, Ont. woman says her driveway will need to be repaved less than month after she came home to find strangers working on it without her prior consent.
-
Justin Bieber's family member allegedly involved in fiery Stratford crash
A fiery crash shut down a Stratford street on Tuesday and witnesses tell CTV News one of Justin Bieber's family members was allegedly involved.
Northern Ontario
-
Contractor sues Timmins gold miner for $7.4M
Gowest Gold Ltd. in Timmins announced Monday it is being sued by North Bay-based Cementation Canada Inc. for $7.4 million.
-
Sudbury police search for suspect following early morning car chase
One young offender is in custody and police are searching for a second in Sudbury following a car theft July 2.
-
OPP charge two people in connection with murder on Manitoulin Island
Ontario Provincial Police have charged two people in connection with a June 24 shooting where one person died.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa entering new wave of COVID-19: OPH
Ottawa Public Health says Ottawa is entering a new wave of COVID-19, saying indicators show a rising level of transmission in the community.
-
Elderly woman in critical condition after being hit by garbage truck
Ottawa paramedics say an elderly woman is in hospital following a collision Monday morning.
-
Former Sask. premier Brad Wall gave strategic advice to key convoy organizer
Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall was in contact with a key organizer of the Freedom Convoy anti-mandate protest, providing strategic advice before and after the Ottawa occupation began, according to court records obtained by CTV News.
Windsor
-
Traffic stop leads to drug-related charges for Windsor pair
Two people are facing charges after police allegedly saw fentanyl and meth inside their vehicle during a traffic stop Friday afternoon.
-
Gas prices drop in Windsor-Essex
A much welcome drop in gas prices has some Windsor-Essex drivers lining up at the pumps.
-
Police seek public's assistance identifying alleged sexual assault suspect
Windsor police are actively investigating a sexual assault report and have reached out to the public for help identifying a suspect.
Barrie
-
Change of plans for roughly 200 campers amid COVID-19 outbreak at Huntsville camp
An overnight camp in Huntsville was forced to cancel for two weeks at the start of the camping season due to a COVID-19 outbreak among multiple staff members.
-
Man accused in 1994 stabbing death of Barrie, Ont.'s Katherine Janeiro makes court appearance
A preliminary hearing for a cold case homicide that struck a chord with Barrie, Ont. residents roughly 28 years ago got underway Monday with the man accused appearing in court.
-
Barrie fire spreads through two homes displacing two families, including children
Two families are displaced after a fire raged through two homes in the north end of Barrie.
Atlantic
-
CAT ferry keeping pace with pre-pandemic sales
The CAT ferry, which sails between Yarmouth, N.S., and Bar Harbour, Maine, has sold more than 20,000 tickets so far this year, that’s up from the 15,100 tickets sold as of June 7.
-
N.S. woman calls for private fireworks regulation after her dog dies 'scared and alone'
Canada Day weekend fireworks have sparked more calls to either regulate or ban backyard fireworks displays in Nova Scotia.
-
Inflation relief payments on the way for P.E.I. residents
Over 90,000 Prince Edward Island residents will see a top-up in their bank accounts to help alleviate the pressure of record inflation rates affecting the cost of living in the province.
Calgary
-
1 dead in Falconridge shooting
One person is dead and several homes were evacuated following a Monday morning shooting in a northeast Calgary neighbourhood.
-
Body found on QEII Highway near Airdrie
RCMP investigators are seeking dash cam footage after a man was found dead on the QEII Highway near Airdrie early Monday morning.
-
Calgary police catch 17-year-old driving 170 km/h on Stoney Trail
Calgary police say a teenage driver was recorded travelling 170 km/h on Stoney Trail N.E. over the weekend.
Winnipeg
-
Man dead in Sunday morning shooting: Winnipeg police
Winnipeg police say a 59-year-old man is dead after an early morning shooting in the south end of the city on Sunday.
-
Winnipeg man stole and crashed a car, bit officer during arrest: police
Winnipeg police have charged a man after investigators say he stole a car, crashed it and bit an officer while being arrested.
-
'I would have done the same thing:' Bowness OK with being Jets' second choice
Rick Bowness doesn't mind being the second choice. The new Winnipeg Jets head coach took part in his first press conference Monday, a little more than a week after first target Barry Trotz declined the team's offer because the veteran wanted to spend more time with his family.
Vancouver
-
50 bricks of suspected cocaine seized at B.C. border crossing: CBSA
Someone tried to smuggle more than 50 kilograms of illicit drugs across the U.S.-Canada border, officials say.
-
Man charged with attempted murder in Williams Lake, B.C. stampede shooting
One of the two people shot at a rodeo in B.C. Sunday was an innocent bystander, according to police.
-
Fire truck stolen from scene in Surrey, B.C., driven to another city
Officials say someone stole a fire truck from a scene in Surrey, B.C., and drove it out of the city.
Edmonton
-
U.S. man to be charged with kidnapping, rape after Edmonton teen found: Oregon police
A 41-year-old man will be charged with kidnapping and rape after an Edmonton girl who was missing for more than a week was found, Oregon City Police said.
-
Alberta expands its support for Ukrainians fleeing war and settling in the province
The Alberta government is expanding its support for Ukrainians coming to the province from the war-ravaged country.
-
Edmonton council to ask province to support new centre to fight downtown crime
Edmonton's city council has voted unanimously to ask the province to support the creation of a hub where social workers, firefighters and police officers could work together to reduce crime.