Lenny Cooke
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Lenny Cooke (born April 29, 1982 in Brooklyn, New York) was an early entry candidate for the 2002 NBA Draft. He had averaged 25 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks per game in his junior year of high school. Following his junior year, he averaged 31.5 points for the first eight games of his senior year. When he turned 19 in 2001, he was athletically ineligible to play according to high school athletics’ rules in his home county of New Jersey.
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[edit] Biography
Cooke would not play organized high school basketball as a senior when he incidentally exhausted high school eligibility. Cooke attennded La Salle Academy in his hometown Brooklyn, New York from 1999-2000. This gave him an average 30 points and 15 rebounds, to earn eligibility to play. Lenny went to Northern Valley Regional High School located in Old Tappan]], NJ, from 2000 to February 2002. Next, Lenny attended Mott Adult High School in Flint, Michigan in February and March 2002, though did not play basketball. At Franklin K. Lane High School, in Woodhaven, NY, he was honored Freshmen of the year. He earned MVP honors in the 2000 Adidas ABCD camp. He scored 21 points to help the Eastern Conference defeat the west 115-103, at the EA Sports Roundball Classic at the United States Center in Chicago on March 8, 20002. Lenny Cooke was rated #4 High School Player in the United States in the Prep Stars Recruiter’s Handbook.
[edit] Career
Cooke himself had other options to play North Carolina, Seton Hall, St. John's, Miami, and Ohio State. However, Cooke chose to seek millions of dollars. This turned him into declaring himself eligible for the 2002 draft. He would go undrafted. When all 29 of the NBA Teams passed Cooke on both rounds, he would turn to joining the Rucker Park Summer League in New York, playing for the Terror Squad team.
Later that same year, he was drafted by the Columbus Riverdragons of the NBDL, which is a place to prove one's eligibility for the NBA. Additionally, he tried out for the Brevard Blue Ducks of the USBL in April 2003. Next, he was signed to the Brooklyn Kings in May, also within the league. In 15 games, he made 28.8 points per game and a little more than nine rebounds.
Later that year, he was back to the Rucker Park Summer League. Then, he would find himself playing in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Purefoods TJ Hotdogs. In addition, Cooke was signed with the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks in December 2003. Lenny averaged 16.7 points and a near seven rebounds per game. By 2004, he had returned to the PBA's Purefoods team but suffered his second injury with the team in the season opener and was out for the rest of the tournament. After not being drafted to the NBA, via age limit, he continued to work out. Cooke is currently playing for the Minot Skyrockets of the CBA.
[edit] 2003 Awards and Acomplishments
These were his 2003 Awards and Accomplishments in 2003
- League Scoring Title
- Rookie of the Year
- All-USBL Second Team
- All-Rookie Team
- League Steals Leader
- League Offensive Rebounds Leader
- League Field Goals Leader
- League Free Throws Leader
- Two- Time Player of the Week
- Two-Time Rookie of the Week
- Most Points: Single Game, Most Field Goals: Single Game, Most Free Throws Made: Single Game
[edit] References
- NBA Draft.net -- Lenny Cooke profile
- NBA Development League
- NBA.com
- Hold on Lenny, You'll Get your chance someday
- 1999 He's Stands
[edit] External links
Interviews
Articles about
- Lenny Cooke trys for a rebound
- A Day in AGE Limit on Lenny Cooke
- Lenny Cooke's Quest
- Brooklyn Kings profile
- Nets star still has a soft spot for drifting schoolboy prodigy
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