Rapper J. Cole has long drawn inspiration from basketball — but few players have impacted his mindset quite like Steph Curry.
Speaking on the “7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony” podcast, Cole praised Curry not just for his success, but for how he achieved it — through relentless work and self-improvement.
“I love basketball — it’s an even playing field,” Cole said. “Of course, you’re going to get athletically gifted people, but that’s why I love Steph so much/ Compared to the average NBA player — 6’6″, 6’7″, freak of nature — he doesn’t fit that bill. He’s more of a regular size in the league.”
For Cole, Curry represents something deeper than basketball greatness. He’s proof of what’s possible when a player fully taps into their potential.
“I stand next to Steph and I’m like, ‘Damn, this dude my height,'” Cole added. “He’s not little, but he maxed out his ability. If I work harder than everybody else, I can max my abilities out, and then I got a fair shot.”
Cole has pursued basketball alongside his music career, from brief pro stints in Africa and Canada to appearances in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and a spot on the cover of “NBA 2K23: Dreamer Edition.“
For him, competition — whether in rap or basketball — ultimately is internal.
“I just love the competition of it,” Cole acknowledged. “But more than a competition against somebody else, it’s really against yourself. It’s like a mastery or an ability, because I never mastered anything. But I know what it’s like to get better than I was yesterday, or a week ago, or a month ago, or a year ago.”
For Cole, that self-improvement is what makes the game so valuable.
“That’s what I love about basketball,” Cole said. “I can measure my growth. I can see it. I can watch how bad I was or how regular I was, and how much better I’ve gotten in this one area. And I feel like I need that in my life.”
The same approach carries into his music.
“My music is the same way,” Cole explained. “My writing is the same way. My rap is the same passion — I want to push myself. Basketball gives me something measurable.”
And in his eyes, that’s what makes the sport honest.
“If you put the work in, you can get there,” Cole added. “And if you don’t, it’s going to show.”
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
