J. Cole has had his mind on basketball a lot recently, and he’s not slowing. Following his three-game stint with Rwanda in the Basketball Africa League, J.Cole is taking his passion to a new Dreamville project. In collaboration with sporting company Wilson, Dreamville will be reprising the pro-am (amateurs and professionals) Chi-League basketball tournament after the competition took a four-year hiatus. Dreamville hopes to increase player interest with a string of musical performances and events.
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Dreamville Executive Vice President Candace Rodney was clearly excited about the collaboration, as expressed in a press release statement. “Chicago has supported Dreamville and its artists from the beginning. It’s a privilege to infuse our brand with the rich legacy of the Chi-League, while also helping to celebrate the unique culture of the city of Chicago,” Rodney said. She also spoke on the partnership with Wilson, a brand that calls Chicago home. “The revamped Dreamville Chi-League will help bring back a competition ingrained in community and to make this all happen, there’s no better partner than a hometown hero like Wilson,” Rodney added.
The tournaments, hosted on 8/8, 8/15, and 8/22 will include eight teams of 10 for the men’s division and four teams of 10 for the women’s division. Youth clinics will also be available on Saturday during the tournaments’ run, with concessions from black-owned businesses in the area.
General Manager of Wilson Team Sports Kevin Murphy said of the partnership: “Partnering with Dreamville couples our performance credibility with their lifestyle relevance, bringing the best of basketball culture together, both on and off the court.” Via the partnership, Dreamville will now become the official sound of Wilson Basketball.
Will you be attending the tournament? Check out the announcement below: