As a freshman in 2014–15, Cooks was named to the Big South Conference All-Freshman Team.[4] As a sophomore in 2015–16, he earned second-team All-Big South honours.[4]
As a junior in 2016–17, Cooks earned first-team All-Big South.[6] He helped Winthrop win the Big South Tournament and earned Big South All-Tournament Team.[4] On 15 February 2017, he recorded the first 20-point, 20-rebound game for Winthrop since 2003.[7]
As a senior in 2017–18, Cooks was again named first-team All-Big South and the Big South Player of the Year.[8] During the season, he became Winthrop's all-time leading rebounder.[9]
In 2020, Cooks was voted into the Big South Men's Basketball All-Decade Team (2010–19).[10]
Cooks initially signed with French team SIG Strasbourg for the 2019–20 season,[13] but left due to injury.[14]
Sydney Kings (2019–2023)
On 27 November 2019, Cooks signed with the Sydney Kings of the Australian NBL on a multi-year deal.[15] Following the 2019–20 season, Cooks opted out of his deal[16] and then re-signed with the Kings for the 2020–21 NBL season.[17] He averaged 10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in his second season with Sydney.[18]
On 22 June 2022, Cooks re-signed with the Kings on a three-year deal.[24] On 29 January 2023, he had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 111–106 win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix, marking the league's first triple-double since 2021 and the first from a Sydney player since Dontaye Draper in 2008.[25] He went on to win NBL MVP for the 2022–23 season[26] and helped the Kings win back-to-back championships.[27] He finished the season averaging 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.[28]
Washington Wizards (2023)
On 17 March 2023, Cooks signed with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA).[29] He made his NBA debut the next day, recording two rebounds in five and a half minutes against the Sacramento Kings.[30] In the Wizards' final game of the season on 9 April, he recorded 10 points and 14 rebounds in 35 minutes as a starter against the Houston Rockets.[31]
On 23 October 2023, Cooks was waived by the Wizards.[32]
Chiba Jets Funabashi (2023–2024)
On 21 November 2023, Cooks signed with Chiba Jets Funabashi of the B.League.[33] The team won the EASL championship for the 2023–24 season.[34] He averaged over 13 points and eight rebounds in 52 appearances with the Jets.[35]
Return to Sydney (2024–present)
On 27 May 2024, Cooks signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Kings.[35]
National team career
In 2017, Cooks was named to the Australian "Emerging Boomers" squad for the Summer Universiade.[36]
In early August 2019, Cooks made the final cut for Australia's 2019 FIBA World Cup roster.[37] However, one week later he was forced to withdraw from the competition due to a knee injury sustained during practice.[38]
Career statistics
NBA
Personal life
Cooks is the son of Eric and Josie. His father is an African-American expatriate who became a naturalised citizen of Australia,[1] and his mother is Australian.[39] His father played college basketball for St. Mary's College in California before relocating to Australia to pursue a professional career.[40] He has two siblings, Georgia and Dominique. His brother was also a basketball player.[41]
References
^ a bEvans, Kyle (4 June 2019). "Son of Ballarat Miners great Eric Cooks is taking after his father in a big way". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
^"Sydney Sign Xavier Cooks on Multi-Year Deal". NBL.com.au. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
^Ward, Courtney (8 August 2019). "Xavier Cooks named in Australian Boomers squad for FIBA World Cup". South Coast Register. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
^ a b c d e"Xavier Cooks". australiabasket.com. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
^Boyce, Dan (6 July 2014). "Xavier Cooks, the unknown second generation Aussie basketball star". aussiehoopla.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
^Wimberly, Nate (27 February 2017). "Keon Johnson named Big South Player of the Year". wbtv.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
^"Xavier Cooks has first 20/20 game for Winthrop since 2003". USA Today. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
^"Big South Announces 2017-18 Men's Basketball Award Winners" (Press release). Big South Conference. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
^"Xavier Cooks became Winthrop's all-time leading rebounder as the Eagles dropped Radford". Miami Herald. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
^"Big South Announces 2010-19 Men's Basketball All-Decade Team". Big South Conference. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
^ a b"Xavier Cooks". realgm.com. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^"S.Oliver Wurzburg signs rookie Xavier Cooks to replace Mitch Creek". Sportando. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^"Xavier Cooks s'ajoute au roster". SIG Strasbourg (in French). 25 July 2019.
^"Xavier Cooks ne sera pas Strasbourgeois". SIG Strasbourg (in French). 27 November 2019.
^"Sydney Sign Xavier Cooks on Multi-Year Deal". nbl.com.au. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
^"Xavier Cooks opts out of deal with Sydney Kings". Sportando. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
^"Xavier Cooks returns for NBL21". sydneykings.com. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
^Uluc, Olgun (26 June 2021). "NBL Free Agency: who's on the move". ESPN. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
^"Sydney Re-Sign Xavier Cooks". NBL.com.au. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
^"Kings Win First Championship in 17 Years with Record Crowd". NBL.com.au. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
^Hinton, Marc (18 May 2022). "Saints signing coup: Kiwi NBL champs snap up Australian finals MVP Xavier Cooks". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"2022 SAL'S NBL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED". nznbl.basketball. 9 August 2022. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022.
^Egan, Brendon (9 August 2022). "Wellington Saints' star Xavier Cooks earns NBL MVP honours". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022.
^"Xavier Cooks back for another three years". sydneykings.com. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
^"Kings Beat Phoenix to Secure Regular Season Crown". NBL.com.au. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
^"Xavier Cooks Wins MVP Honours". NBL.com.au. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
^"Kings' Big Finish to Secure Back-to-Back Championships". NBL.com.au. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^"Cooks Officially Signs NBA Contract". NBL.com.au. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^"Wizards Sign Xavier Cooks to Multi-Year Deal". NBA.com. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
^"Cooks Logs Minutes in NBA Debut". NBL.com.au. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
^"Cooks Doubles Down". NBL.com.au. 10 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
^"Wizards Announce 2023-24 Opening Night Roster". NBA.com. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
^"2023-24シーズン 新規契約選手のお知らせ". ChibaJets.jp (in Japanese). 21 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
^Odeven, Ed (11 March 2024). "Chiba Jets Complete Perfect Run to East Asia Super League Title". japan-forward.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
^ a b"Kingdom welcomes former MVP's return". NBL.com.au. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
^Barrow, Tim (22 June 2017). "Cooks has booming career". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
^""I earned my spot" Xavier Cooks on his shock Boomers call-up". smh.com.au.
^"MITCH CREEK REPLACES XAVIER COOKS IN BOOMERS FIBA WORLD CUP TEAM". australia.basketball.
^Glauber, Bill (24 February 2018). "Australian mom wouldn't miss Xavier Cooks' Winthrop Senior Day game". The Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
^Glauber, Bill (16 May 2017). "For Winthrop parents, a long basketball journey from Australia to Milwaukee". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^Keeble, Tim (11 September 2014). "Dominique Cooks re-signs with Hawks". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 5 January 2020.