Daequan Cook facts for kids
Cook with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 28, 1987 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| High school | Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Ohio State (2006–2007) |
| NBA Draft | 2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 2007–2020 |
| Career history | |
| 2007–2010 | Miami Heat |
| 2008 | →Iowa Energy |
| 2010–2012 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2012–2013 | Houston Rockets |
| 2013 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2013–2014 | Budivelnyk |
| 2014 | Walter Tigers Tübingen |
| 2014–2015 | SPO Rouen Basket |
| 2015–2016 | Benfica |
| 2016–2017 | Chemidor Tehran |
| 2017–2020 | Ironi Nes Ziona |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Daequan Cook (born April 28, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for several teams, including the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA. He was picked 21st in the 2007 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers but was then traded to the Miami Heat. His last team was Ironi Nes Ziona in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.
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High School Basketball Star
Daequan Cook went to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Dayton, Ohio. In his junior year, he helped his team reach the Ohio Division II state semifinals. During his senior year, he was amazing, scoring about 25 points per game. He also grabbed 6 rebounds and made 5 assists per game. He led Dunbar to win the Division II state championship.
National Recognition in High School
Because of his great skills, Daequan was chosen for the 2006 McDonald's All-American Team. This is a special game for the best high school basketball players in the country. He scored 17 points in that game, helping his team win 112–94. He was also named a third-team Parade All-American, another big honor.
Daequan also played on a special Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team called SPIECE Indy Heat. His teammates included future NBA stars like Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr.. Daequan was the top scorer for this team in a big tournament in Las Vegas in 2004. His team went undefeated and won the championship.
College Career at Ohio State
Daequan Cook played college basketball for Ohio State University. He was part of a famous group of players known as the "Thad Five," named after their coach, Thad Matta. As a freshman, he played about 20 minutes per game. He averaged 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. On April 20, 2007, Daequan decided to enter the 2007 NBA draft. His teammates Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. also entered the draft at the same time.
Professional Basketball Journey
Playing in the NBA
Miami Heat Years (2007–2010)
Daequan Cook started his NBA career with the Miami Heat. In his first year, he averaged 8.2 points per game. For a short time, he played for the Iowa Energy in the NBA D-League. When he returned to the Heat, he scored a career-high 23 points in a game. Later, in March 2009, he set a new personal best by scoring 27 points against the Phoenix Suns. He made 6 out of 8 three-point shots in that game.
A big highlight for Daequan was winning the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout in 2009. This competition tests who can make the most three-point shots. He beat Jason Kapono, who had won the contest for the previous two years.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2012)
In June 2010, Daequan Cook was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He became an important player off the bench for the Thunder. He was especially good at making three-point shots. He helped the Thunder become one of the top teams in the Western Conference. In 2012, Daequan and the Thunder reached the 2012 NBA Finals. However, they lost to his former team, the Miami Heat.
Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls (2012–2013)
In October 2012, Daequan was part of a big trade to the Houston Rockets. He played a few games for them before being released in January 2013. Soon after, he signed with the Chicago Bulls and finished the 2012–13 season playing for them.
Playing Overseas
First European Teams (2013–2014)
In November 2013, Daequan Cook signed his first contract to play basketball outside of the United States. He joined Ukrainian SuperLeague team Budivelnyk Kyiv. This team also played in the Euroleague, a top European competition. In his first Euroleague game, he scored 16 points. After a short time, he moved to Germany and signed with Walter Tigers Tübingen for the rest of the 2013–14 season.
France and Portugal (2014–2016)
In August 2014, Daequan signed with SPO Rouen Basket in France for the 2014–15 season. The next year, in August 2015, he joined the Portuguese champions S.L. Benfica. While playing for Benfica in March 2016, Daequan had an amazing game. He scored a career-high 44 points, showing his incredible scoring ability.
Iran and Israel (2016–2020)
In December 2016, Daequan moved to Iran to play for Chemidor Tehran in the Iranian Basketball Super League.
In August 2017, Daequan signed with the Israeli team Ironi Nes Ziona. He quickly became a key player for them. In the 2017–18 season, he was the team's top scorer, averaging 16 points per game. He helped Nes Ziona reach the Israeli League Playoffs. He continued to play well for Nes Ziona, signing extensions in 2018 and 2019. In December 2018, he made a game-winning three-point shot against Maccabi Tel Aviv. He was named the Israeli League Round 9 MVP for that performance. In April 2019, he scored a season-high 30 points, earning him another Israeli League Round MVP award. His last professional team was briefly Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2020, but his contract was soon canceled.
See also
In Spanish: Daequan Cook para niños
- 2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans
