Entries Tagged 'Daequan Cook' ↓

By Adam Kiefaber

Daequan Cook and Mike Conley Jr. both had their best performances in summer-league play on Thursday.

Cook led Miami with 21 points in the Heat’s 78-66 win over the Indiana Pacers. He didn’t just led his team in points, he also led his team in minutes played (35+), FGs made (8), FGs attempted (16), and he tied one other player on his team for the most threes made (2), most assists (3) and most steals (3).

On Wednesday, Cook struggled from the floor hitting one of seven shots for only three points. In over 23 minutes of play, Cook had three steals and committed a team-high six fouls. The Heat lost 77-66 to the Chicago Bulls.

Cook’s last game of the Pepsi Pro Pro Summer League takes place this afternoon. The Heat will play the tournament’s host, the Orlando Magic.

Mike Conley Jr. was impressive on Thursday night in summer-league play in Las Vegas. Conley led Memphis with 7 assists in the Grizzles 100-76 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. In just over 22 minutes of playing time, Conley scored 13 points, grabbed four rebounds and committed only one turnover. He was five of nine from the floor and he hit all three free throws.

Currently Conley is battling summer-league teammate Kyle Lowry for the starting point guard spot. In 23 minutes, Lowry scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds. However, Lowry had only two assists, hit only one of six shots from the floor and turned the ball over a team-high four times. Overall, Lowry is averaging 15.7 points in summer-league play compared to Conley, who is averaging 11.

Memphis’ point guard last year, Damon Stoudmire, figures to get less playing time this season.

Conley Jr. and Lowry will continue their battle when Memphis squares off with the Los Angeles Clippers tonight (FRI the 13) at 6pm EST.

Ron Lewis didn’t help his chances of making the Houston Rockets roster in their 98-94 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.

Lewis missed all seven shots he took from the floor. However, he did hit all four free throws, finishing with four points and three rebounds in just over 12 minutes of play. Part of Lewis’ struggle to score could be related to the impressive play of summer-league teammate and guard Aaron Brooks (Oregon). Last night, Brooks scored 28 points and in the Rockets’ first game he scored 21.

The Rockets play tonight (FRI the 13) at 10pm EST against the Washington Wizards.

The 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas ends this Sunday- July 15th.

By Adam Kiefaber

Daequan Cook was the second-leading scorer for the Miami Heat in their first Summer League game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Cook scored 13 points in Miami’s 88-74 loss to Charlotte. In just over 22 minutes, Cook hit three of four three-point shots, was four of four at the free-throw line and had two assists. Cook played well on the defense side of the ball while guarding Adam Morrison. Morrison hit only two of six shots from the floor. However, Cook did commit six fouls and Morrison scored 10 of his 14 points on the free-throw line.

Mike Conley Jr. is writing a blog detailing his Summer League experience at Conley Jr. Summer League Blog.

It is unclear how Conley Jr. did in last night’s 80 to 78 loss to the Detroit Pistons. I believe these stats are correct: Conley Jr. scored eight points and had three assists with two turnovers. However, NBA.com (one of the worst sites ever) has Conley Jr. listed as the center and had him playing 92 minutes for the Memphis Grizzles last night. Conley’s next game will be Thursday evening at 6pm EST against Cleveland.

Ron Lewis will see his first action tonight when the Houston Rockets face the Los Angeles Clippers at 10:30pm EST. Hopefully, Lewis will receive some good playing time.

Oden’s next game is Wednesday night at 10:30pm EST when the Portland Trail Blazers take on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dayton Daily News
Story Done by the Associated Press

Thursday, July 05, 2007

MIAMI — Daequan Cook and the Miami Heat agreed on a contract Thursday, and the first-round pick from Ohio State will be part of the team’s roster when summer league play begins next week.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard who left Ohio State after one season will earn more than $2 million over the next two years, and would be in line to make around $5 million if options are picked up for what would be his third and fourth seasons in the league.

Cook averaged 9.8 points and made 41.5 percent of his tries from 3-point range last season for the Buckeyes, who lost to Florida in the national championship game.

Miami’s summer league team began practice Thursday, with three new free agent signees in center Joel Anthony, guard Jeremy Richardson and forward Marcus Slaughter. Each was believed to have signed a partially guaranteed one-year deal with a team option for the second season.

The 6-9 Anthony was the Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year last season for UNLV, and had a 13-block game against TCU in February. He averaged 5.2 points as a senior, shooting 60 percent from the floor.

Richardson, a 6-7, 190-pound player out of Delta State, played sparingly in six NBA games last season with Atlanta and Portland and averaged 17.6 points in 33 games with Fort Worth of the NBA Development League.

The 6-8, 223-pound Slaughter was an All-Star in the Turkish League last season after not being selected as an early entry candidate out of San Diego State in last year’s NBA draft.

By Adam Kiefaber

The best NBA Draft party this year has to Daequan Cook’s, which will be held draft night (Thursday June 28 at 7:00pm) in Dayton Ohio at the Holiday Inn on Dryden Road.

It is open to the public and has a $20 admission charge. The party is to include Cook and 150 of his closest friends, so it might not be smart to roll over on the carpet laughing if Cook isn’t chosen in the first round.

The atmosphere should be tense since Cook has fallen in most recent mock drafts. Some of the mock drafts have Cook climbing up the first round. However, it should be one interesting party.

“It will be a light atmosphere,” Dunbar assistant coach Albert Powell told the Dayton Daily News. “There will be finger food, soft drinks and a big-screen TV.”

That sounds like Powell, who scheduled Cook’s NBA workouts, is trying to downplay the event.

Here is what some of the mock drafts are saying:
NBA.com (just posted- 6-26)- Doesn’t have Cook picked in the first round
Chris Ekstrand of SI.com (updated 6-26)- Cook going 23rd to the Knicks
Chad Ford (ESPN The Magazine)- Cook going 30th to the 76ers
- (Ford comments ‘…he has no clue on how to play the game…weak work ethic and massive ego.’
Tony Mejia of CBS.Sportsline (updated 6-18)- Cook going 23rd to the Knicks
- (Mejia ranks Cook as the 8th best shooting guard and comments read: ‘he has the skills, but needs more experience. An up-and-down freshman season ended with around the league suggesting he return to school.’)
Gary Parrish of CBS.Sportsline (updated 6-18)- Cook going 24th to the Suns
Jeff Goodman of foxsports (updated one day ago)- Cook going 25th to the Jazz
Peter Schrager of foxsports (updated two days ago)- Cook going 25th to the Jazz
Draftexpress (updated 6-26)- Cook going 22nd to the Bobcats
TSX (updated 6-25)- Cook going 27th to the Pistons

Ex-college coach Fran Fraschilla said, on ESPN radio this past Monday, that he wouldn’t draft Cook in the first round unless he had a “gun to his head.”

It seems to me that most mock drafters are just throwing Cook in the later portion of the first round. Everyone seems to agree that Cook was the best player at Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando, but he wasn’t playing against or with any other first-round talent. Also, his performances at the camp were up and down.

It’s easy to throw Cook in the first round of any mock draft.

However, it could be uneasy to watch Cook on draft night at the Holiday Inn.

By Adam Kiefaber

The NBA Draft will take place a week from today on June 28th. The coverage will start at 7:00 p.m. (eastern) on ESPN.

Normally, the Buckeyes are not known for producing NBA talent. In the last five drafts Ohio State has not had a single player taken in either the first or second rounds of the draft. Also, no Buckeye in the last 14 drafts has been taken in the first round.

This year’s draft is practically guaranteed to have the first ever Ohio State player to be taken first overall in Greg Oden. Another Buckeye, Mike Conley Jr., should be selected in the top ten. Also, Daequan Cook is expected to go in the first round while Ron Lewis might be picked in the second round.

The last first round pick from Ohio State was in 1992 when the Dallas Mavericks picked Jim Jackson fourth overall. The last Buckeye to be drafted was in 2001 when the Miami Heat took Ken Johnson 49th overall. Johnson played in only 16 games in his NBA career. In 2000, Ohio State had two players taken in the second round. Michael Redd was taken 43rd overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and now is an NBA all-star. Scoonie Penn was the second to last pick of that draft and couldn’t make the Atlanta Hawks roster.

NBA.com features a consensus mock draft that lists 16 different mock drafts from all over the Internet. In all 16 mock drafts, Greg Oden is listed as the first overall pick, which belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers. At worst Oden could end up being the second overall pick if Portland chooses Kevin Durant.

In the 16 mock drafts, Conley’s draft position ranges from third to 11th overall. The Atlanta Hawks hold the third and 11th picks in the first round. There is no chance that Atlanta will pass on Conley twice.

Many Buckeye fans question the choice Daequan Cook has made by leaving Ohio State for the NBA (see Should Daequan Cook Dip Out of NBA Draft?). According to the mock drafts (14 of 16 have listed picks past the top 14), Cook’s draft position ranges from 23rd overall to not being taken in the first round. Four mock drafts have Cook going to the New York Knicks (23rd overall). Other mock drafts have Cook going to Philadelphia (21st overall), Phoenix (24th and 29th overall), Utah (25th overall) and Houston (26th overall). Two mock drafts have Cook being passed over in the first round.

In my mind, Ron Lewis could be the steal of this draft. In Ohio State’s last 10 games (including the NCAA tournament) Lewis averaged 17 points a game. Also, he scored 27 points in the overtime win over Xavier in the NCAA tournament as well as 25 points in the one-point win over Tennessee in the Sweet 16. However, Lewis could be the steal of the draft because no one thinks that he will be drafted. Only five of the 16 mock drafts list a complete rundown of the second round and none of them have Lewis being selected.

ESPN.com lists 100 prospects in their draft database and Ivan Harris is not among them. There are only 60 picks in the draft.

By Adam Kiefaber

Ohio State freshman guard Daequan Cook still hasn’t signed with an agent. Should he come to his senses and return to Columbus for his sophomore season. Let’s say, he is drafted this season in the late first round. That would make Cook a backup on a good team for multiple seasons. If he went back to school and averaged 15-to-20 points a game, wouldn’t that make him a top-ten and possible NBA starter for next season? What do you think?

However, Cook is expected to sign with Mike Conley Sr.

Cook and Mike Conley Jr. are opting not to sign with Conley Sr. until after the withdrawal date (June 18th) just in case either suffers a major injury. Former Buckeye teammate Greg Oden has already signed with Conley Sr.

Cook played well early last season, scoring in double figures in seven of the first eight games while Oden was out with a wrist injury. His play diminished during NCAA tournament play, which was the reason many Buckeye fans question his departure for the NBA. Cook had under 10 minutes of playing time in the Buckeyes biggest tournament games; eight against Tennessee in Sweet 16, seven against Georgetown in the Final Four and nine in the National Championship game against Florida.

Cook struggled during Wednesday’s during the pre-draft camp in Lake Buena Vista Florida. He shot 30% and scored six points and committed eight turnovers in 20 minutes.

However, Cook dominated on Friday when he scored 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting (3-of-4 on 3-pointers).

ESPN’s Andy Katz believed Cook to be the only lock in the pre-draft camp last week to go in the first round, regardless of play. However, I believe Cook wasn’t a lock, but should be after Friday’s play.

Dunbar assistant Albert Powell schedules Cook’s private workouts said Portland, San Antonio, Phoenix, Seattle and Orlando all called soon after Friday’s performance.

If Cook sticks with his plan to go to the NBA, Ohio State will have lost five or their top six scorers. Those scorers include Cook, Conley Jr., Oden and seniors Ron Lewis and Ivan Harris.

The question remains, should Cook go pro? If he stayed a season and dominated the big ten, couldn’t he be a top ten pick? You have to figure he would have to sit on the bench for a couple of seasons once he is drafted. So is this a dumb move by Cook?