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The Detroit Pistons have resided near the bottom of the Eastern Conference for an entire decade. They’ve made just two playoff appearances in 11 years, and they haven’t won a single postseason game during that span. Instead of breeding homegrown talent or going for the No. 1 overall pick to turn things around, Detroit is going a different route to return to prominence.

The Pistons took to Twitter Monday and offered a tryout to a big free agent. The catch? He isn’t even an NBA player. The Pistons offered a tryout to famous rapper and amateur baller, J. Cole.

The Pistons haven’t won a playoff game since 2008

It’s hard to blame the Pistons for trying something new. After all, their strategy in the past decade hasn’t exactly yielded the best results.

In the last 11 years, Detroit has just two playoff appearances. In both instances, the Pistons were swept in the first round. They haven’t finished better than eighth in the Eastern Conference in 2008, which is the last year Detroit can boast a playoff win.

The Pistons have just one winning season in the same span. They’ve been maybe the most consistent team in the NBA in the past decade. Well, consistently miserable that is.

Maybe a change of scenery can get the Pistons back on the right track.

J. Cole has expressed interest in trying out for an NBA team

Jermaine Lamarr Cole, more commonly known as J. Cole, is one of the most famous rappers in the game today. From Born Sinner to 2014 Forest Hills Drive to KOD, Cole keeps pumping out the classics.

The rapper has been a bit quiet in the music scene lately, and now we know why. J. Cole has been training in the gym to earn an NBA contract. As crazy as that may seem, Cole actually has an extensive basketball background.

Cole was a star at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, N.C. in the early 2000s. He went on to attend St. John’s University, where he tried out for the basketball team. Out of the 80 students who tried out, Cole made the final 10.

In 2012, Cole played in the annual All-Star Celebrity Game, and he was by far the most skilled player on the court. He even threw down an alley-oop dunk from none other than Kevin Hart.

On Sunday, Aug. 2, Cole announced he was training to earn an NBA contract. He’s been in the gym for months working on his shot, and it doesn’t look half bad.

The Pistons offer J. Cole a tryout after seeing his workout tape

NBA fans were entertained by Cole’s interest in joining the league, but it’s nearly an impossible task for the rapper. The NBA is on a different level, and Cole couldn’t even make his college team.

Although most laughed it off, the Pistons were clearly impressed by Cole’s workout tape. Their official Twitter account responded with a tryout offer.

“We see you out here. You said they only got 12 slots on the Pistons. Hit us up for that tryout. This is for all the dreamers,” the Pistons tweeted.

Whether it’s just a publicity stunt or a genuine offer, the Pistons have made worse moves in the past decade. If nothing else, Cole would bring immense popularity to a team that’s lacked any excitement for 11 years.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.