J. Cole Part Of New Charlotte Hornets Ownership

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2023 NBA Finals - Game Three
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JUNE 07: J Cole is seen in attendance during Game Three of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on June 07, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The North Carolina rapper is becoming an NBA owner.

After 13 years, Michael Jordan has sold the Charlotte Hornets. First reported by Adrian Wojnarowski, Jordan is finalizing a sale to an ownership group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. The news comes amid rumors that the team is looking to swing a trade to bring 2019 first-overall pick Zion Williamson to Charlotte.

However, this could be the start of a new era in Charlotte. The Hornets have long been regarded as one of the NBA's worst teams. Since Jordan assumed majority ownership in 2010, the team has had just three winning seasons and two playoff appearances. Last season, the team went 27-55 under head coach Steve Clifford. 2022-23 marked the first season of Clifford's second stint with the team. Previously, Clifford had coached the Hornets between 2013 and 2018. However, the new ownership group also features a famous face from the music world.

J. Cole Joins Hornets Ownership

First reported by Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, North Carolina rapper J. Cole will hold a minority stake in the Charlotte Hornets once the sale is finalized. Cole was born in Frankfurt, Germany but raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. A lifelong sports fan, specifically basketball, Cole has made several headlines related to the NBA in recent months. Namely, Cole was behind the Miami Heat's signing of Caleb Martin, a fellow North Carolinian who found himself in Cole's gym after being cut by the Hornets. Martin later thanked Cole for the opportunity after the Miami Heat made the NBA Finals this season. Elsewhere, LSU star Flau'jae Johnson named Cole as her dream music collab.

Zillgitt also revealed that Eric Church was another member of the ownership group. Church, born in Granite Falls, North Carolina, is a country singer with six top-five charting albums. However, Cole's love of basketball makes it no surprise that the musician would become part of the new-look Hornets. The final price of the sale has not yet been made public. However, Jordan bought majority ownership of the team in 2010 for $180 million. Do you think that the new ownership will turn the Hornets around? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports and music news here at HotNewHipHop.

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About The Author
Ben Mock
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.
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