Daequan Cook facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Daequan Cook

Cook with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011
Personal information
Born	(1987-04-28) April 28, 1987 (age 38) 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
Israeli League All-Star (2019) NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2009) McDonald's All-American (2006) Third-team Parade All-American (2006)

Daequan Cook (born April 28, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a shooting guard or small forward. Cook was picked 21st in the 2007 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He was then traded to the Miami Heat. His last team was Ironi Nes Ziona in Israel.

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. They lost to the eventual champions.

As a senior, Cook was amazing. He scored about 25 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and made 5 assists per game. He led Dunbar to win the Division II state championship. Because of his great skills, he was chosen for the 2006 McDonald's All-American Team. This is a special team for the best high school players in the country. He scored 17 points in their winning game. He was also named a third-team Parade All-American.

Cook played with future NBA players like Norris Cole in high school. They even played against each other later in the 2012 NBA Finals. Cook also played on an AAU team called SPIECE Indy Heat. His teammates included Mark Titus, Greg Oden, and Mike Conley Jr.. Cook was the top scorer for his team at a big tournament in Las Vegas in 2004. His team won the championship that year.

College Basketball at Ohio State

Daequan Cook played college basketball for Ohio State University. He was part of a famous group of players called the "Thad Five" by Coach Thad Matta. As a freshman, he averaged 10.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

On April 20, 2007, Cook decided to enter the 2007 NBA draft. His teammates Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. also decided to join the draft at the same time.

Professional Basketball Journey

Playing in the NBA

Cook playing against the Houston Rockets in 2012

Miami Heat (2007–2010)

Daequan Cook started his NBA career with the Miami Heat. In his first year, he averaged 8.2 points per game. He was sent to the Iowa Energy in the NBA D-League for a short time. When he returned to the Heat, he scored a career-high 23 points in a game. Later, on March 4, 2009, he set a new career high with 27 points against the Phoenix Suns. He made 6 out of 8 three-point shots in that game.

Cook won the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout in 2009. This contest tests who can make the most three-point shots in a short time. He beat Jason Kapono, who had won the contest for two years in a row.

Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2012)

In 2010, 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 a strong team in the Western Conference. In 2011, he signed a new two-year contract with the Thunder. Cook and the Thunder reached the 2012 NBA Finals, but they lost to his former team, the Miami Heat.

Houston Rockets (2012–2013)

On October 27, 2012, Cook was part of a big trade. He, along with James Harden, Cole Aldrich, and Lazar Hayward, went to the Houston Rockets. In return, the Thunder received Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, and some draft picks. Cook was released by the Rockets in January 2013.

Chicago Bulls (2013)

On January 6, 2013, Cook signed with the Chicago Bulls. He played for them for the rest of that season.

Playing Overseas

Budivelnyk and Tübingen (2013–2014)

In November 2013, Cook signed his first contract to play basketball outside 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, Cook scored 16 points. Budivelnyk released him in January 2014. Later that month, he signed with Walter Tigers Tübingen in Germany for the rest of the season.

SPO Rouen (2014–2015)

In August 2014, Cook signed with SPO Rouen Basket in France. He played for them during the 2014–15 season.

Benfica (2015–2016)

On August 14, 2015, Cook joined S.L. Benfica, a famous team in Portugal. On March 13, 2016, Cook had an amazing game. He scored a career-high 44 points, along with nine rebounds and three assists.

Chemidor Tehran (2016–2017)

In December 2016, Cook signed with Chemidor Tehran in the Iranian Super League.

Ironi Nes Ziona (2017–2020)

Cook playing for Ironi Nes Ziona in March 2019

On August 9, 2017, Cook signed with the Israeli team Ironi Nes Ziona. In the 2017–18 season, he was the team's top scorer, averaging 16 points per game. He helped Nes Ziona reach the playoffs, where they lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Cook signed to stay with Nes Ziona for another year in June 2018. On December 9, 2018, he scored 24 points, including a game-winning three-point shot with only 2.9 seconds left. This shot gave Nes Ziona an 83–81 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv. He was named the Israeli League Round 9 MVP (Most Valuable Player) for his performance. On April 7, 2019, Cook scored a season-high 30 points, making 7 out of 11 three-point shots. He was named Israeli League Round 25 MVP for this game.

Cook signed another contract extension with Nes Ziona in August 2019. On December 1, 2019, he scored a season-high 34 points in a double overtime game. In August 2020, Cook signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv. However, his contract was canceled shortly after, and he was replaced by another player.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Daequan Cook para niños

• 2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans