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After appearing in just one game in the Chinese CBA, American rapper and hip-hop star J. Cole is leaving the Nanjing Monkey Kings. Cole's brief stint in China came to an early end after only eight minutes of playing time due to visa issues, as he explained in a post on his online blog. Initially, the multi-platinum artist had planned to participate in at least three games for the Nanjing Monkey Kings. However, delays in the work visa process meant he was only able to suit up once before returning home.
In a shock decision rarely seen in the league, the Chinese Basketball Association club Ningbo Rockets announced that it’s immediately going to waive United States’ import Darius Bazley, citing the player’s “serious violation of professional ethics”. The club, which is going all out in the final stretch of the regular season to try to secure a playoff spot, announced it will cut Bazley, a former NBA player, after the 25-year-old forward lost control of his emotions and got involved in fierce physical altercation with teammates over a turnover during Ningbo’s 97-119 loss to league leader Shanghai Sharks on Wednesday. With one minute and 51 seconds left in the first quarter, Bazley got into a heated debate with teammate Zavier Simpson, another of Ningbo’s US imports, over a turnover, which saw Bazley’s careless in-bound pass intercepted by Shanghai’s Zhang Zhenlin, resulting in a quick 3-pointer.
Rap megastar J. Cole has signed a contract to play in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Nanjing Monkey Kings, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. The multi-Grammy-Award-winning and multi-Platinum artist had committed to playing a few games for the Chinese team last year and is now following through.
This is the third time Cole, whose full name is Jermaine Cole, has played in a professional sports league. He played with the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022. He played high school basketball in North Carolina.
Leafy: J. Cole just opened a Douyin account (the Chinese version of TikTok) and followed five accounts related to the Nanjing Tongxi basketball team. CBA Cole soon? Leafy: J. Cole's first Douyin video update. "China🇨🇳, What's the word"
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Jose Alvarado: “I did get arrested because they thought it was me. So the whole process UCLA versus Georgia Tech, we played in China. Forgot about that. So obviously the situation that knows the situation, but they say the police out there said they got confused and they thought it was me and one of my other teammates too. So I literally got arrested, went to the police station for like six, seven hours and then finally made it clear that obviously you could tell who it was."
“I’ve always made it a point to develop relationships, and sometimes it might just be when you see each other at the gym. But that’s not the case with us,” Booker said. “We hang out outside of the court, outside of practice.” Their relationship started the day of the trade, when Brooks phoned Booker. The bond grew in August during a teamwide retreat to Booker’s summer home in Flagstaff, which included talks late into the night in front of a fire pit. Their connection was then cemented in the preseason, over a probing conversation while playing blackjack in a China casino. And ultimately, the two knew they had found the perfect teammate when they were together in a gym training for the upcoming season.
“She chose to play for a country that is literally responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of its own people, and literally running a concentration camp while we’re talking,” Freedom said, comparing Gu’s silence on the issue to LeBron James’ declining a question about China’s alleged human rights abuses in 2019.
Marc Stein: Alize Johnson has signed a lucrative deal to join the Shenzhen Leopards, agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group tells @TheSteinLine . The five-year NBA veteran averaged 20.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for the Timberwolves’ @nbagleague affiliate in Iowa.
Sean Highkin: Yang Hansen has once again been assigned to the Remix and will play tonight vs. Oklahoma City Blue. I'm told this game will also be broadcast in China on Tencent.
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One of the unexpected transfers at the end of the year was the transfer of Boban Marjanovic to Illyria , after nine years spent in the NBA league and a short episode in China. - I would not say that it is the most sound transfer, but the only reason for his arrival there is Luka Doncic. It is a club that Luka supports in different ways. They are great friends and at this stage of his career, Bobby decided to primarily help him, and that is why he is now in Illyria - Ražnatovic concluded.
Marc Stein: The NBA makes official what we reported below a few months back: Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets will meet in the NBA’s two preseason China games next season on Oct. 9 and 11 at The Venetian Arena in Macao.
The NBA makes official what we reported below a few months back: Dallas and Houston will meet in the NBA’s two preseason China games next season on Oct. 9 and 11 at The Venetian Arena in Macao. https://t.co/dbTsItIiC7 pic.twitter.com/s54sgT9sy5
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 5, 2026
It’s officially official: The Mavericks and Houston will play two preseason games in Macao in October as part of the NBA China Games 2026. A rumor that was unofficially blurted last October by Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont became reality with Monday’s joint announcement by the NBA and Sands China Ltd. The Mavericks and Rockets will face off on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11 in The Venetian Arena in Macao, as part of a three-day weekend that will include interactive fan events, youth basketball clinics and Community Impact initiatives co-hosted by NBA Cares and Sands Cares.
“For the Mavericks, this is a meaningful opportunity to represent our organization and our fans on an international stage,” Dumont stated in Monday’s news release. “Following our recent game in Mexico City, playing in Macao reflects our club’s continued growth and the strong connection we’ve built with fans. “The NBA China Games 2026 underscores the league’s ability to bring the highest level of basketball to audiences worldwide. We are grateful to the NBA and the Houston Rockets for their partnership in making these games possible.”