SG Daequan Cook (Ironi Hai Motors Nes-Ziona - Israel)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cook is pressing.....it is obvious and it is not unusual for a freshman to have a slump....regardless of their talent......Cook will be fine, I expect him to be more productive in the tournament.

 

[zincfinger]

Why should he learn the college game?

Axl, I understand your general point - that Cook has the capability to be far more effective than he has been lately, if only he would be given free rein to make mistakes en route to having successes. And this is probably true. But it's far less clear that Matta's principal job requirement - winning games - would be best fulfilled by giving free rein to all talented youngsters. David Lighty was a superstar in high school, and AAU. But on this team, he's got a limited role to play. With experience and development, that role will grow, just as it will for Cook.

As to the question of why Cook should learn the college game, there are a couple of reasons. One, that's his job right now. Two, it's much easier to develop in increments than in complete overhauls. High school to college is a much more manageable increment than high school to the NBA is. In short, learning the college game will help his NBA game. Failing to learn the college game might well hurt his NBA game.

 

[Axlrose4eva]

OSU may be number 1, but the players on Indy Spiece were as a whole more talented than the players on OSU, its really not debatable since youd pretty much be replacing Butler and Harris with two future lottery picks. I mean have you seen Gordon play? Im not saying they were a better team, but it still had Conley and Oden on it and although they may be becoming better basketball players, it still was a more talented team. Not better, more refined, or experienced, but just on talent.

Also Cook didnt show that much at all agaisnt michigan, he played about 30 seconds in the 2nd half got hit in the eye and Matta never put him back in.

If the NBA has shown anything in the past few years its that college does not translate to the NBA. I mean Duke players tend to be the "best" college players in the country and they do awful in the NBA. You can look at Mello, but Syracuse other than on defense really didnt play the college game with Mello. This is why the NBA drafts on potential not on what people do in college. If it was on college game alone Reddick probably should have been the number one pick.

Cook imo is probably gone. He came in most likely to be one and done and I still feel that way about him. Kids who went to school with him at Dunbar and still talk to him say that they believe he's one and done. I really dont think he and Matta have been clicking and I really dont understand the defensive critiques against him anymore. He improved a lot and I would rather have him guarding someone right now than Lewis. Cook never got the playing time he deserved even when he was hot.

Also when you get 10 minutes a night and 7 of those minutes are without Oden and Conley of course youre probably going to struggle a bit. He comes in with Hunter, Lighty and Terwilliger. Im sorry, but thats not really an offensive powerhouse right there. Because of this he gets into the game thinking he has to perform and teams have scouted OSU and know that he can play and they are watching/expecting Cook to look for his shot. Cook then forces shots, gets down on himself or gets taken out of the game and thats that. Cook would play a lot better if he was allowed to start, feel out the opponents, have the most talented players out there with him and get comfortable. He comes in the game knowing if he doesnt perform hes not going to play, he has 3 other bench players out there with him, and opponents focus on him on D. Cook started once and it was the best game OSU played all year imo and I dont know why Matta doesnt do this again.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Cook is pressing.....it is obvious and it is not unusual for a freshman to have a slump....regardless of their talent......Cook will be fine, I expect him to be more productive in the tournament.

I agree with OBJ. I also wonder how high he would go in the draft considering the hard time he is going thru now.
Anyone ever hear of the freshman "wall"? That shows a lack of stamina usually, one thing you need a lot of in the pros

 

[crazybuckfan40]

OSU may be number 1, but the players on Indy Spiece were as a whole more talented than the players on OSU, its really not debatable since youd pretty much be replacing Butler and Harris with two future lottery picks. I mean have you seen Gordon play? Im not saying they were a better team, but it still had Conley and Oden on it and although they may be becoming better basketball players, it still was a more talented team. Not better, more refined, or experienced, but just on talent.

You are comparing a college senior to a high school would of been going into his junior year...Also who is this other lottery pick you refer too...No way any AAU team beats a well coached college team...

Also Cook didnt show that much at all agaisnt michigan, he played about 30 seconds in the 2nd half got hit in the eye and Matta never put him back in.

Why is it always about Cook with you, why do you never realize that Matta is going with the lineup that he wants in the game and you cannot say there has been anything wrong with his results...

If the NBA has shown anything in the past few years its that college does not translate to the NBA. I mean Duke players tend to be the "best" college players in the country and they do awful in the NBA. You can look at Mello, but Syracuse other than on defense really didnt play the college game with Mello. This is why the NBA drafts on potential not on what people do in college. If it was on college game alone Reddick probably should have been the number one pick.

What about DWade...Even tho I think that playing with Shaq drastically improves his game, he was the finals MVP last year...What about Bogut, Bosh, Howard, West, Nelson, they list can go on...You are always going to have your busts, but now with these kids going to college, the scouts are going to get to see them matchup against some better competition and translate their game to the NBA...

Cook imo is probably gone. He came in most likely to be one and done and I still feel that way about him. Kids who went to school with him at Dunbar and still talk to him say that they believe he's one and done. I really dont think he and Matta have been clicking and I really dont understand the defensive critiques against him anymore. He improved a lot and I would rather have him guarding someone right now than Lewis. Cook never got the playing time he deserved even when he was hot.

So you think that Cook would of blocked that shot against Wisky...If the coach feels more comfortable with a senior on the court than that is who he is going to go with...What is so hard to understand about that...

Also when you get 10 minutes a night and 7 of those minutes are without Oden and Conley of course youre probably going to struggle a bit. He comes in with Hunter, Lighty and Terwilliger. Im sorry, but thats not really an offensive powerhouse right there. Because of this he gets into the game thinking he has to perform and teams have scouted OSU and know that he can play and they are watching/expecting Cook to look for his shot. Cook then forces shots, gets down on himself or gets taken out of the game and thats that. Cook would play a lot better if he was allowed to start, feel out the opponents, have the most talented players out there with him and get comfortable. He comes in the game knowing if he doesnt perform hes not going to play, he has 3 other bench players out there with him, and opponents focus on him on D. Cook started once and it was the best game OSU played all year imo and I dont know why Matta doesnt do this again.

I would be intersted to know how many games he has only got 10 minutes/game. My guess is that it would be in the 1-3 game range. Also early in the season he was our leading scorer off the bench and was playing well, so now it is a problem...Also if teams have scouted him then he needs to be in the film room watching what they are doing and adjust...Am I wrong in thinking that or is Cook just the greatest player ever and can do no wrong IYO...Matta has and always will put his teams in the best position to win...

 

[ShakerBuck]

fwiw a column in BSB citing a source close to the situation said Cook was leaning towards leaving, and his draft position has been projected by NBA GMs to be ~20th.

Regarding Oden, I think it said he was 50/50, citing the fact that he sincerely loved the college environment, was a humble low key individual, and a few other factors that might entice him to stay put for another year.

 

[Best Buckeye]

In the end I'm sure Cook will do what he wants to after he sees something firmer as to how he is playing, how is is getting along with Matta and his team mates, and where he will go in the pros.
And in the end what will be will be so why guess. Just enjoy him for as long as he is here.

 

[Golferdow01]

OSU may be number 1, but the players on Indy Spiece were as a whole more talented than the players on OSU, its really not debatable since youd pretty much be replacing Butler and Harris with two future lottery picks. I mean have you seen Gordon play? Im not saying they were a better team, but it still had Conley and Oden on it and although they may be becoming better basketball players, it still was a more talented team. Not better, more refined, or experienced, but just on talent.

How in the world can you compare a high school team to a college team? Is the Florida Gators football team more talented than the Oakland Raiders? You are comparing apples to oranges.

Cook imo is probably gone. He came in most likely to be one and done and I still feel that way about him. Kids who went to school with him at Dunbar and still talk to him say that they believe he's one and done. I really dont think he and Matta have been clicking and I really dont understand the defensive critiques against him anymore. He improved a lot and I would rather have him guarding someone right now than Lewis. Cook never got the playing time he deserved even when he was hot.

Do you have any proof he and Matta have not been clicking? That's a pretty strong, opiniative statement with nothing to back it up. Are we to take your word over the words of the players, coaches, and paid analysts?

Also when you get 10 minutes a night and 7 of those minutes are without Oden and Conley of course youre probably going to struggle a bit. He comes in with Hunter, Lighty and Terwilliger. Im sorry, but thats not really an offensive powerhouse right there. Because of this he gets into the game thinking he has to perform and teams have scouted OSU and know that he can play and they are watching/expecting Cook to look for his shot. Cook then forces shots, gets down on himself or gets taken out of the game and thats that. Cook would play a lot better if he was allowed to start, feel out the opponents, have the most talented players out there with him and get comfortable. He comes in the game knowing if he doesnt perform hes not going to play, he has 3 other bench players out there with him, and opponents focus on him on D. Cook started once and it was the best game OSU played all year imo and I dont know why Matta doesnt do this again.

I would think he has the ability to score more with less-offensive players on the court. Michael Redd averaged nearly 20 points a game as a freshman if I remember correctly, and he did it with an offensively lackluster group of players. Shouldn't Cook be able to do the same theoretically?

Is Matta really the one to blame here or is Cook getting the time he earns? Can you perhaps give us some examples of how he plays better defense than Ron Lewis? Can you tell us about his practice habits and how he should be earning more PT based upon working harder than any of our current starting 5? These are all ways you might have a shred of a chance to prove your feelings to some fairly knowledgable fans we have here...

 

[jwinslow]

All season, I've wanted Cook to steal some of Lewis' minutes. However, recently Cook's offensive production has dropped off (especially vs UM), and Lewis is playing more within the offense.

Midseason, I can buy that Cook was a top-20 player on potential. I think his stock has slipped further, and would need a monster march madness to get back to that projection.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

He has slipped 2 more spots to 22...

Link

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I think he has hit the wall that some freshman experience in their first year playing major college basketball, 30 games in and it is obvious to me........we are spoiled, we are looking at Cook and expecting what we are getting from Oden and Conley.....it is not really fair. Cook is a very talented player but Oden and Conley have adjusted quicker than Daequan.

I personally do not think he makes the jump this year.....he would really benefit from another year or possibly two. FWIW.

 

[Axlrose4eva]

First of all if you read my post I clearly state I dont think they would beat OSU's team, but its hard to say that their team wasnt more talented and again i said about 10 times im talking about talent. If all the guys on the Colts playes for OSU in college, on the same team, and except Larry Fitzgerald and Brian Urlacher were on the team instead of Brandon Stokley and Cato June, I would say the college team was more talented, not saying the college team would win, but i am talking about pure talent, dont know how many times i have to write talent.

Maybe you liek Butler, I like him and think he's been very good, but I think everyone in the country would disagree with you if you said he had more talent than Eric Gordon. Gordon IMO was the key to that Spiece team and is the best player in the 2007 class. Next year when OSU has to play against Gordon trust me you all will be shaking your heads at the things this guy can do.

Also, it is arguable, since i never saw him in H.S. and I know he was a McD's AA, but I would take Jamil Tucker at the 4 over Harris, again if im going just on talent. He is stronger, plays the 4 better, Harris imo if he worked a year or two on his game could be an nba guard, but for a 4 I would rather have Tucker. VA is lucky they got him.

I know a lot of people who played with Cook and of course I am a huge fan of him. Ive been impressed with him since I watched him playing with my cousin in highschool. I really think that his talent isnt being used correctly.

Oh and the Michael Redd thing proves my point. You are right Michael Redd scored abotu 20 points a game his frosh year, how many minutes did he play? how many shots did he take. Redd knew he could fire up whatever he wanted and he was going to stay in the game, also the D that teams played on OSU was pretty lax a lot of times because they were beating OSU by double digits.

I really didnt think I needed to say it or clarify anymore but since you are so keen to attack me I will explain again I said talent. Talent is "endowment: natural abilities or qualities". If all Florida players were drafted onto the same NFL team and they made up the entire team, the talent or "natural abilities" would be the same. You said playing with this talent took Cook out of his game. Cook's Spiece team had, Oden, Conley, Gordon, Tucker and himself. Thats 4 5 stars and a 4 star. The lineup he usually plays with now has at most 3 5 stars. So the people who are paid to judge talent would say that Spiece team was more talented.

Again talent, not who would win or who is better or anything...talent=endowment:natural abilities or qualities.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

The key thing is when are you talking about...

Are you talking about coming out of high school or now...

 

[Axlrose4eva]

Talent wouldnt change regardless. Talent at its very definition is an innate ability. I was specifically replying to a poster who said Cook's game declined when he played with more talented people. Talent doesnt change, thats why a pretty famous expression is "Hard work beats talent when talent doesnt work hard." Talent just refers to the abilities you are endowed with by genes or god. Also bball is one of the few team sports where I truly believe highschoolers could compete with college kids, especially seniors in highschool playing against college freshmen its not that big of a difference. Again talent doenst mean good, I mean NBA players are more talented than European players, but we've seen how far thats gone.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Talent wouldnt change regardless. Talent at its very definition is an innate ability. I was specifically replying to a poster who said Cook's game declined when he played with more talented people. Talent doesnt change, thats why a pretty famous expression is "Hard work beats talent when talent doesnt work hard." Talent just refers to the abilities you are endowed with by genes or god. Also bball is one of the few team sports where I truly believe highschoolers could compete with college kids, especially seniors in highschool playing against college freshmen its not that big of a difference. Again talent doenst mean good, I mean NBA players are more talented than European players, but we've seen how far thats gone.

So you are telling me that Conley and Oden were are not more talented this year than they were last last year?...Also it was in a different structure of basketball, in AAU it is more like free lance, and not even close to college basketball...

College is a totally different animal than AAU...

I don't think Cook's struggles have anything to do with him not being able to play with talent around him, I just think he is letting freshmen type things get to him...He is getting tired to do the rigors of college basketball, he is facing tough defenders night in and night out, teams have scouted him to the fact where they know what his tendicies are and he is struggling with all this mentally...This is why we see Matta going with Lewis IMO becasue he has seen him in tough situations he has played in 4 years of colelge basketball and has that experience you just can't teach...