Woj Bomb? Wizards sign Aussie player Xavier Cooks

[mhd]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35790623/agent-wizards-sign-nbl-mvp-xavier-cooks-23-24

[penbeast0]

I always like players who have been successful at their previous level to try at the next level rather than raw athletic talents who have not been able to harness it so I'm interested to see this guy. No clue how strong the Aussie league is v. Europe or G league though if anyone wants to enlighten me.

[FAH1223]

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[doclinkin]

I always like players who have been successful at their previous level to try at the next level rather than raw athletic talents who have not been able to harness it so I'm interested to see this guy. No clue how strong the Aussie league is v. Europe or G league though if anyone wants to enlighten me.

I'd rank leagues like so:

NBA
Top Euroleague teams
ACB (Spain)
NBL (Australia, NZ)
Other Euro domestic leagues (Russia etc).
G League

Interesting pick up.

Watch on YouTube

[The Moose]

I like it

Cooks is definitely the best player in the NBL, I’ve always thought the only thing holding him back from being NBA standard is his shooting.

Glad he got a chance though

[doclinkin]

Hah! By his stats he's yet another player in the Troy Brown, Bonga, Deni archetype. Defensive players who pass well for their position but don't shoot great from outside.

[Dat2U]

Just what the roster needed. A low usage non-shooter. Outside the medium 3 and Nunn, the entire roster nothing but very low usage role players. Shepp appears to love these types but this is exactly why Kuz has a 27% usage rate.

[FAH1223]

I just think of Troy Brown or Bonga too.

He’s better than them but he also can’t shoot.

[80sballboy]

I watched his highlights and my first thought was Gill though Gill at least has a semblance of a jumper. Not one jumper shown. All dunks and floaters. Then I saw his length and athleticism so hoping that he's a defensive stopper but that's a big jump. At 27, not sure why you have to go to the Australian League and find a 6-8 PF when you can find a 22 or 23-year old with a jumper coming out of college.

[FAH1223]

I watched his highlights and my first thought was Gill though Gill at least has a semblance of a jumper. Not one jumper shown. All dunks and floaters. Then I saw his length and athleticism so hoping that he's a defensive stopper but that's a big jump. At 27, not sure why you have to go to the Australian League and find a 6-8 PF when you can find a 22 or 23-year old with a jumper coming out of college.

Tommy can't draft, that's why.

They're counting on making the playoffs and having no 1st round pick.

[The Moose]

I think he can be a Jarred Vanderbilt style role player

[Kanyewest]

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[doclinkin]

I actually think this is a hint that Tommy thinks he might not be able to re-sign Kuzma. So he is providing a back-up at the position of attacking/ball-moving switch-forward.

Watching deeper, I like his game. Quick on the attack. Quick decision making. Good movement without the ball, on cuts to the lane, screen roll, etc. Funny he does remind me of Deni when Deni is in Turbo mode.

[80sballboy]

I watched his highlights and my first thought was Gill though Gill at least has a semblance of a jumper. Not one jumper shown. All dunks and floaters. Then I saw his length and athleticism so hoping that he's a defensive stopper but that's a big jump. At 27, not sure why you have to go to the Australian League and find a 6-8 PF when you can find a 22 or 23-year old with a jumper coming out of college.

Tommy can't draft, that's why.

They're counting on making the playoffs and having no 1st round pick.

I get it. Tommy is desperate.

[gambitx777]

I'm not opposed to finding late bloomers. But urgh really? Another Anthony gill while we still have Anthony gill ?

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

[Sphynx]

I always like players who have been successful at their previous level to try at the next level rather than raw athletic talents who have not been able to harness it so I'm interested to see this guy. No clue how strong the Aussie league is v. Europe or G league though if anyone wants to enlighten me.

I'd rank leagues like so:

NBA
Top Euroleague teams
ACB (Spain)
NBL (Australia, NZ)
Other Euro domestic leagues (Russia etc).
G League

Interesting pick up.

Watch on YouTube

Nah, not anymore.

The top Australian teams are definitely on par with some of the best Euroleague teams these days.

Australia is churning out top level talent in the NBA draft consistently, have a large % of their league vets being ex Aussie NCAA College Scholarship players etc ex Australian NBA players returning to strengthen the league (Bogut, Dellevadova etc)

I'd have them on par with ACB and the best NBL teams would be Top Euroleague standard imo.

The preseason NBA games also backup how strong the NBL teams are.

In fact I'd love to see a 5 game World Challenge style game against the NBL winner vs the Euroleague winner each year.

[closg00]

So Tommy goes foreign player hunting again....

[closg00]

I watched his highlights and my first thought was Gill though Gill at least has a semblance of a jumper. Not one jumper shown. All dunks and floaters. Then I saw his length and athleticism so hoping that he's a defensive stopper but that's a big jump. At 27, not sure why you have to go to the Australian League and find a 6-8 PF when you can find a 22 or 23-year old with a jumper coming out of college.

Tommy can't draft, that's why.

They're counting on making the playoffs and having no 1st round pick.

...and he clearly prefers foreign players, and finesse players to compliment a "Big-3"

[TheBallsDeeper]

He's like if Scotty Pippen and a Wolf had a baby.....

When I watched 'Hustle' I was thinking through the movie - "That's Xavier Cooks with a decent shot"

I've watched a lot of him for a long time. He made a stacked Aussie team 4 years ago for the world titles, only to get injured just before it started. He was playing amazing at that time - I'm certain he would have been picked up bya NBA team if he played in that tournament.

He is a great athlete, excellent rebounder, very good passer, a smart player, and a hard worker on both ends of the floor - but is a poor shooter - which I know is a major issue.

As a poor shooter - he is more like Giannis than Ben Simmons - he is not afraid to take it to the rim and get contact, and not afraid to shoot from anywhere on the court. The best case is probably 70% FT and 30% 3pt, but he is not Ben Simmons-level incompetent and uncoachable. Coaches love him.

He works hard on both ends of the floor, and wants the ball in his hand when there is pressure on. Always high energy.

Forget about his current stats - the game is played differently in Australia. Defense is tough and team work is more of a focus than pleasing superstars by boosting their box scores. He got voted the NBL MVP - which is a legit MVP, - votes given 5,4,3,2,1 by the coaches of both teams playing after each game. Not like the NBA which is awarded by media who don't watch many games so follow the loudest voice, or go on box scores or narrative at the end of the season.

I wanted the Sixers to pick him up, but glad he got picked up somewhere, probably should have been in the league 3 years ago.

[NatP4]

The Australian league is very good. Plenty of former NBA players and quality prospects year to year. You can argue that it’s the top non NBA league.