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

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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Daequan Cook

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>It's Official: Cook Verbals To Ohio State
By Steve Helwagen Managing Editor
Date: Mar 23, 2005

Dayton Dunbar junior standout Daequan Cook announced a verbal commitment to Ohio State this afternoon at his school. Cook, ranked by Scout.com as the nation's No. 6 junior prospect, picked the Buckeyes over Wake Forest, North Carolina, Michigan, Michigan State and Cincinnati. Click here for more.
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Dayton Dunbar junior basketball standout Daequan Cook ended the suspense this afternoon and confirmed his verbal commitment to Ohio State and head coach Thad Matta during a press conference at his school.

"I made a decision for me and my family, so they could see me play, and for my education," Cook said. "I decided on Ohio State.”

The 6-5 Cook is ranked as Ohio's No. 1 junior prospect by Ohio High and as the nation's No. 6 junior by ScoutHoops.com. He averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior, earning co-state player of the year honors and leading Dunbar to a 22-5 record and a berth in the Division II state semifinals.

" Cook attended OSU's win over No. 1-ranked Illinois in early March, then enjoyed playing in Value City Arena for the state tournament.

" This is considered to be a major coup for OSU coach Thad Matta. Cook's verbal would give Matta, who has 122 wins in five years as a college coach, even more credibility in recruiting circles.

Cook has also been considering [url="http://wakeforest.scout.com/"]Wake Forest[/url], Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State and [url="http://northcarolina.scout.com/"]North Carolina[/url].

He is hopeful of playing college ball with his AAU teammates [url="http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=145&p=8&c=1&nid=1112427"]Greg Oden[/url] and [url="http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=145&p=8&c=1&nid=1112425"]Mike Conley[/url] of Indianapolis Lawrence North. Oden is considering a jump to the NBA, while Conley had been leaning to Wake Forest.

Cook would be eligible to sign in the early signing period for college recruits in November and would be a freshman at his college of choice in 2006-07.

If it is, indeed, Ohio State, Cook, as a national top-10 prospect, could be viewed as OSU's biggest basketball recruit since Jim Jackson committed to head coach Gary Williams and assistant Randy Ayers in 1989.

It could also start an avalanche of highly ranked players clamoring to sign with the Buckeyes. OSU has two scholarships available for current high school seniors or junior college transfers or, if they don't add any players this year, they would have as many as six scholarships for current juniors.

Click the link below for comments from basketball recruiting experts on Cook's verbal to Ohio State:

<CENTER>Experts On Cook: What They're Saying</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

I think we will add a big man in the late signing period and then have 4 scholarships to use on the 06 class.

 

[Happygobuckeye]

I think thats how you spell it......

His signing could quite possibly trigger some major interest from other impact players including Conley and possibly Oden. I would compare this signing with Jim Jackson and if you remember, like I do, we added two other McDonald All-Americans in Treg Lee and Perry Carter in that class.

I hope Cook can attract some other blue chip prospects. The key is to get these guys on campus.

Not to get off topic, but wasn't JJ a year (or two) behind Treg, Perry and Baker?

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Not to get off topic, but wasn't JJ a year (or two) behind Treg, Perry and Baker?

You are correct, JJ arrived 2 years after Carter and Lee, so those two McDonald All Americans attracted other talent I guess. For some reason I always thought they came in together but that wasn't the case.

Now back to Cook....

SCOUT.COM

3/23/05

Scout.com Profile: Spiece Indy Heat
By Dave Telep National Recruiting Director
Date: Mar 22, 2005

The industry standard as far as traveling teams go this spring and summer is likely to be the Spiece Indy Heat. With guys like Greg Oden and Daequan Cook on the roster, big things are expected from this bunch of Midwest talents.

They have Daeguan Cook, Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Aaron Pogue just to name a few. That is a tremendous line-up.

 

[Bucktastic]

This is so huge!!!!! I smell Basketball in April VERY SOON!!!!!

 

[AmeriBuck007]

he says theres about a 30 percent chance he'll go pro but thats only if hes a lottery pick, dont like the sound of that.... but IMO we still land him

 

[BearBuck27]

This is great news, and hopefully this help get Conley and some other big time prospects. The future of Ohio State Basketball looks very bright.

 

[gold_pants]

I think we will add a big man in the late signing period and then have 4 scholarships to use on the 06 class.

Even if we land a big man this spring for 05 don't we still have 5 for next year.

SR Dials, Sylvester, Foster, Sullinger
JR Harris, Lewis, Mayes
SO Terwilliger (spelling), Butler, Wilson
FR Bell

2 Open Spots + 4 Seniors

 

[jimotis4heisman]

With Cook on board lets get it started. Conley and Oden could be next then Lighty. Forget about the Fab 5 thugs this will be the best recruiting class in the big 10 in the last 20 years. Now we need Gene Smith to move the students to the lower bowl of the Schott and get all of the blue hairs up in the 400 level to do all of their knitting and reading!!!!!


GO BUCKS :osu:

im sorry, but the fab 5 never even won a conference title.

 

[jwinslow]

he says theres about a 30 percent chance he'll go pro but thats only if hes a lottery pick, dont like the sound of that.... but IMO we still land him

I guess I'm new to evaluating basketball videos... but from the 10 I've watched he has potential but definitely wouldn't be playing in the pros right away like an Oden would. I can't see him being a lottery pick. I can see agents getting excited about him and telling him to go take some training under matta and come back once his stock is higher...

 

[sears3820]

im sorry, but the fab 5 never even won a conference title.

Keep the conference championship, if it means our boys getting to the NCAA title game.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Keep the conference championship, if it means our boys getting to the NCAA title game.

i agree i was at the game where weber called his to

 

[BuckTwenty]

I think Cook deserves a sticky. Put him at the top!!

 

[leek]

I think thats how you spell it......

His signing could quite possibly trigger some major interest from other impact players including Conley and possibly Oden. I would compare this signing with Jim Jackson and if you remember, like I do, we added two other McDonald All-Americans in Treg Lee and Perry Carter in that class.

I hope Cook can attract some other blue chip prospects. The key is to get these guys on campus.

Perry Carter and Treg Lee came several years before Jim Jackson. Jackson's class included Mark Baker and Chris Jent.

 

[101stAABuckeye]

Dare we say that we have the best two coach combination in the country with Tressel and Matta? I think we do.

I will take it a few steps further for you and say we have the best eight coach combo in the country with Tressel, Matta, Foster, Markell, Todd, Stone, Avery, Brown and I am sure the list could go even further with Fencing and Syncronized Swimming coaches.

We are on the precipice of entering a tremendously golden era for OSU sports.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Perry Carter and Treg Lee came several years before Jim Jackson. Jackson's class included Mark Baker and Chris Jent.

Already corrected that post, thanks.

You are correct, JJ arrived 2 years after Carter and Lee, so those two McDonald All Americans attracted other talent I guess. For some reason I always thought they came in together but that wasn't the case.

Now back to Cook....