Following a short stint in the Basketball Africa League, J. Cole took some time to reflect on his brief experience as a professional basketball player. On Thursday (May 27), the Fayattevelle emcee took to Instagram to thank those who supported his dream of playing ball and share his thoughts on his performance on the court.

“So many thank you’s are due. Thank you to @thebal and to @patriotsbbc for the opportunity,” Cole penned his Instagram caption. “Thank you to my teamates, the coaches and staff for treating me like family. I learned so much in the few weeks we were together. Congrats on that win tonight and good luck next game.”

“Thank you to @puma for supporting a dream from day 1, and getting me to Rwanda and back safely via Puma jet,” he continued. “Thank you to the entire country of Rwanda and to the city of Kigali for hosting us. BEAUTIFUL land with BEAUTIFUL people. To anyone considering visiting or moving to the continent, from everything I saw and heard, I would recommend you consider Kigali and Rwanda in general. Thank you to everybody that had kind words for me despite my inexperience. I plan to get better.”

After playing three games alongside the Rwanda Patriots, Cole completed his contractual agreement with the BAL, earning five points, three assists and five rebounds in three games.

Though he had to return to home because of a family obligation, the experience, for him, was a dream come true as he played college basketball at St. John’s University and had plans to play professional basketball, specifically in the NBA, before he focused on rapping. Playing for the Patriots was also the “scariest leap” he took aside from his move to New York for college — a moment he’s honoring with his the release of his new sneakers.

“Coming out of Fayetteville, Times Square to me was the ultimate representation of a dream,” The Off-Season rapper wrote alongside a photo of the new shoes. “In order to get to where I wanted to be in life, I felt I had to make it up to New York somehow, where all the opportunity was. This pack represents that dream and all the work and faith it takes to make it a reality.

“The first drop will have a special place in my heart forever for obvious reasons. These are the ones I took the scariest leap in. That nervous feeling I had playing under the whistle for the first time is the same feeling I had moving to New York without knowing anybody there. I say all that to say: Despite the fear we have to choose to jump, or be forced to live with regret.”

Look below to see J. Cole’s Instagram posts about his time in the BAL and his new sneakers.