Here’s How J. Cole Helped Caleb Martin Sign to the Miami Heat

J. Cole might have more influence in the NBA than any other rapper. 27-year-old player Caleb Martin dropped 25 points during the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday (May 19), leading the Miami Heat to victory over the Boston Celtics. Martin, who briefly played for the Charlotte Hornets from 2020 to 2021, was revealed to have been brought to the Heat after facilitation from the Dreamville Records co-founder.

At the end of his time with the Hornets, Martin reportedly practiced at a gym owned by Cole, to which the rapper reached out to Heat assistant coach Caron Butler.

“He had reached out to me and told me he had a very, very talented guy that was just wrecking shop up here in North Carolina," Butler told The Charlotte Observer. "He [Martin] had just got released from the Hornets. Obviously, we were still trying to improve on our talent."

Butler accepted Cole’s expertise and offered Martin a chance to practice with the Heat, ultimately making the Winston-Salem native a staple on the team.

"[J. Cole] reached out to me and I just invited [Martin] to an open scrimmage in the summer, and from that point on he really earned his way on. But J. Cole having the foresight in knowing Caleb can come and help a contending team was just amazing,” Butler added.

While showing a bright future in NBA scouting, Cole played three preliminary games in 2021 for the Basketball Africa League's Rwanda Patriots. In May of last year, The Off-Season artist joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League's' Scarborough Shooting Stars for one season. Cole also appears as a playable character in NBA2K23.