J. Cole helped bring attention to Caleb Martin

Caleb Martin helped the Miami Heat with their Game 3 win against the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The baller and his team now need one more win to make it to the finals, something J. Cole possibly saw coming earlier in Caleb’s career. The rapper helped bring Miami’s attention to Caleb after he was cut from the Charlotte Hornets.

“We found out some interesting facts about Caleb Martin and how he got to this point,” TNT’s Allie LaForce said during Game 3, per Bleacher Report. “We were talking to [Heat head coach] Erik Spoelstra before the game, and he said a week before camp started, J. Cole…called assistant coach Caron Butler and said, ‘My guy Caleb Martin is available.’”

LaForce continued, “Coach Butler passed on the information to Erik Spoelstra. He said, ‘Could he come? We’re scrimmaging tomorrow.’ [Martin] showed up, impressed everyone, became a two-way player, and ever since, was a huge part of the starting rotation until they had to decide to sign him full-time. It was a match made in heaven from day one.”

Martin signed as an undrafted free agent with the Hornets the summer of 2019, signed to a two-way contract with Miami in September 2021, and was upgraded to a regular contract in February 2022.

Speaking to the Charlotte Observer, Butler praised Cole, saying “having the foresight in knowing Caleb can come and help a contending team was just amazing.”

“He has a great eye for talent, but I think he just sees the grind and the drive in people,” Butler continued. “He knows that someone like Caleb was going to go out there and play extremely hard, play with a lot of grit and a lot of passion.”

Game 4 takes place May 23 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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