Ball Durham
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Duke in the NBA: Quinn Cook is an NBA Champion

By Kevin Connelly

OAKLAND, CA - MAY 31: Quinn Cook #4 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on May 31, 2018 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - MAY 31: Quinn Cook #4 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on May 31, 2018 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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The road definitely hasn’t been easy for this Duke in the NBA player, but with hard work dedication and a will to be successful, he is now an NBA Champion.

He’s been overshadowed his entire career, but there is one thing that no one can deny about Quinn Cook, he is a winner.

He was overlooked coming out of Oak Hill Academy. Cook was ranked as the No. 38 player on ESPN, the fourth-ranked Duke signee behind No. 2 Austin Rivers, No. 29 Michael Gbijnie, and No. 35 Marshall Plumlee.

Cook’s career at Duke was a roller coaster despite his steady play on the court.

In 2011-12 Cook only averaged 4.4 points per game while shooting 40.5% from the floor.

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Duke finished the regular season at 26-5, 13-3 in the ACC, but after a quarterfinal win against Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament, the Blue Devils would fail to win a game for the rest of the season, losing to Flordia State in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament and to Lehigh in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

As Duke looked to move on to 2012-13, Cook slid into the starting point guard role and he excelled, averaging 11.7 points per game on 41.6% shooting and 39.3% shooting from beyond the arc.

The Blue Devils raced out to a 15-0 record before stumbling a bit in the middle of the schedule. Duke finished the regular season 27-4 but lost in its first ACC Tournament game. However, the NCAA Tournament would be much more kind to the Blue Devils who made it to the Elite 8, before losing to the eventual National Champion Louisville, who just had its title stripped away a few months ago.

As Rodney Hood was eligible to play and Jabari Parker was the star freshman in Durham, Cook took a backseat role on offense to let those special players carry the weight of the Blue Devils.

Despite seeing a small decrease in minutes, Cook almost averaged the same amount of points with 11.6 per game on 43.2% shooting.

The Blue Devils had a well documented rocky season in 2013-14, finishing the regular season at 24-7 but making the ACC Championship before falling to Virginia. Once again, the Blue Devils had an early exit in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Mercer in the Second Round.

The poise and leadership Cook has was on display minutes after the Duke loss to Mercer as he sent a group text to incoming freshman Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Justise Winslow, and Grayson Allen saying this would not happen again, and boy was Quinn Cook right.

Named a captain for the 2014-15 season along with Amile Jefferson, Cook led the Blue Devils to a National Title in his senior season in Durham averaging 15.3 points per game on 45.3% shooting and shooting a career-high 39.5% from three-point range.

Throughout his four years at Duke, Cook averaged 11.0 points per game and developed into an outstanding leader both on and off the court.

Cook was not selected in the 2015 NBA Draft and found his way to the then, NBA D-League and was an instant star.

With the Canton Charge, Cook 19.6 points per game on 46.6% shooting. Cook was named as the NBA D-League Rookie of the Year due to his break out season, but the Duke product was still overlooked and couldn’t latch on to an NBA roster.

Cook was signed by the New Orleans Pelicans but after Cook was only given about 12 minutes per game and averaging 5.8 points in those nine games, Cook was released and returned back to the now NBA G-League with the Canton Charge.

Cook continued to put the time and work in as he torched his opponents, averaging 26.0 points per game on an electric 47.5% shooting. Cook was named to the NBA G-League All-Star Game and lead his team to victory as Cook was named the MVP of the game.

To close out the 2016-17 NBA season, Cook signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks. Cook only played five games with the Mavs and averaged 5.4 points per game in the 15.4 minutes per game he was given.

On October 17, 2017, Quinn Cook signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors. Cook was back and forth between the Warriors and their G-League affiliate the Santa Cruz Warriors and due to Steph Curry‘s injuries throughout the season, Cook was given an extended stay with the Golden State Warriors and he excelled and stuck with the squad.

Cook’s averaged 25.3 points per game on 52.7% shooting with the Santa Cruz Warriors and he kept his determination to succeed with the Golden State Warriors in the two-time MVP’s absence.

Cook burst onto the scene in March when he averaged 13.2 points per game and he followed up his outstanding March with an even better April, averaging 14.3 points per game.

As Curry remained out throughout the first six games of the postseason, Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr developed a confidence in Cook to give him extended minutes in the ever so important postseason.

As Curry returned and Cook’s minutes became more sporadic in the postseason, the Warriors and Cook went onto win the 2018 NBA Finals, Quinn Cook became only the third Duke Blue Devil to win an NCAA Title as well as an NBA Title.

Cook joins Shane Battier and Dahntay Jones in that exclusive club.

Quinn Cook has proven he belongs in the NBA and can be a starter on the best team in the NBA. With the talent level on the Warriors, Cook could have a problem breaking through with a lot of minutes, but that does not diminish what he has already done and deserves a shot with another NBA team should he not stick with the Warriors.

The kid can flat out ball and that needs to be recognized. If you don’t believe me, look at the footage from the Warriors championship celebration where Cook was embraced by Kerr, Curry, and childhood friend Kevin Durant.

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