The Rise of PG Quinn Cook

Quinn Cook found his way back and eventually broke into the NBA after a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge.

It was in the fall of 2015. The year after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost in the NBA Finals in six games against the Golden State Warriors with then head coach David Blatt at the helm. Quinn Cook went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft but the Cavs saw something in him; they brought and signed Cook to a training camp deal before he had an excellent preseason with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The last roster spot was down to Cook and Jared Cunningham. Cunningham, who would later be traded, made the roster over Cook and in a subsequent move Cook signed with the Cavs D-League affiliate Canton Charge.

This is when he exploded onto the scene. Cook described his first D-League games as “very weird.”

Cook came to Duke University and had a quiet first year at Duke only averaging 4.4 points per game under Coach Mike Krzyzewski. With expanded minutes in his sophomore year, he started to explode onto the scene at Duke averaging 11.7 points to go along with 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 33.6 minutes per game. During his senior year at Duke, he had his breakout year. Although he had a sizable dip in assists per game, he had a breakout year in terms of scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game along with 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

On top of the breakout year for Cook, he won the national title on his way out of Duke, ending an excellent career at Duke.

In his senior year, according to Sports-Reference, he scored 598 points in his senior year. In total, he scored 1,571 points in his Duke career. He also dished out 509 assists and grabbed 379 rebounds and had 151 steals in 143 games (13th in ACC history).

Despite his excellent career at Duke, Cook didn’t get selected in the 2015 NBA Draft due to his average athleticism and size. Nonetheless, he signed a training camp deal with the Cavaliers who also had former Dukie Kyrie Irving on the roster.

The training camp battle came down to the wire, as the coaches had to choose between him and Jared Cunningham for the final roster spot under then head coach David Blatt.

The Cavs picked Cunningham.

However, with Cunningham being traded to the Orlando Magic later in his career despite showing promise in his time on the Cavs, perhaps this story would have seen him living out his NBA dream with another team regardless.

After failing to make the Cavs’ regular season roster, Cook signed with the Cavs NBA D-League affiliate Canton Charge, which is where people took notice and people started to catch on and saying: “he’s the real deal.” Below is the top games of his career with the Charge.

Cook has been called up twice during this past NBA D-League season.

Once he signed with the Dallas Mavericks he was sent back down. A couple of weeks later, the New Orleans Pelicans called up Cook. Cook got two ten-day deals, then signed for the rest of the season with the Pelicans.

It’s not known if there is an option for a second year.

No comment from Cook on that.

Top Games for Cook in his Charge career:

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1.) Sets Charge franchise record for scoring most points in franchise history, surpassing Manny Harris.

Cook scored 49 points (15/21 FG, 15/16 Ft, 4/5 3P), 11 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals in a win versus the Texas Legends.

2.) Strong, dominant showing in win v. Erie Bayhawks, Charge bench scores 46 points

Cook scored 31 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds

3.) Passing on display, sets franchise record in assists

Cook scored 28 points, along with franchise record 16 assists and 2 steals in a win over Long Island.

4.) A very efficient double-double

Cook scored 33 points on 11/19 shooting, 11 assists and 3 rebounds in a win over Delaware.

5.) Another very efficient double-double

Cook scored 30 points on 10/19 shooting going along with 13 rebounds and assists in a win over Iowa.

Awards won in the NBA D-League

2015-2016 NBA D-League Rookie of the Year
2017 NBA D-League All-Star MVP
2x NBA D-League All-Star (2016 & 2017)
All-NBA D-League Third Team (2016)
All-NBA D-League First Team (2017)

King James Gospel’s Simon Hannig had the opportunity to interview Quinn Cook. The Q&A is below.

SH: Finals are coming up. What do you think of Kyrie Irving’s performance so far?
Quinn Cook:  “I think he’s playing his best basketball. I think he realizes that he needs to be the best guard in the NBA for him to be successful. LeBron’s kind of letting him play his game and he’s doing a terrific job.”

SH: Who do you have winning it all and how many games and why?
Cook: “I have no clue. I just want to see good basketball. I don’t know, no clue.”

SH: Where do you stand on the whole LeBron James and Michael Jordan debate?
Cook: “I don’t think it’s fair. I just wish everybody would let him [LeBron] be himself.”

SH: Who was the toughest point guard you had to go against when you were in the NBA so far?
Cook: “Russell Westbrook.”

SH: What makes him so difficult?
“He’s MVP. He had an MVP season. He’s really big, really strong, fast, he can shoot, so all that combination’s got the best stuff.”

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SH: Would Russell Westbrook be your MVP for the season? 
Cook: “Yes, I’ll give you Russ. No, I don’t know. I don’t know.

Cook showcased his talents on the biggest stage, so there’s hope he can stick on with the Pelicans or at least earn an opportunity with another ball club.