Lenny Cooke

Lenny Cooke (born April 29, 1982 in Brooklyn, New York) is known primarily for being an early entry candidate in 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 in high school, he averaged 31.5 points for the first eight games of his senior year. When he turned 19 in 2001, he was academically ineligible to play according to high school athletics’ rules in his home county in New Jersey.

Biography

Cooke could not play organized high school basketball as a senior by accidentally exhausting his high school eligibility. Cooke attended La Salle Academy in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City from 1999-2000. He then achieved 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 Brooklyn, NY, he was honored as 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, 2002. Lenny Cooke was rated #4 High School Player in the United States in the Prep Stars Recruiter’s Handbook. Lenny starred on the #1 ranked AAU basketball team in the nation, the NY Gauchos.

Career

Cooke himself had other options for basketball: North Carolina, Seton Hall, St. John's, Miami, and Ohio State. However, Cooke chose to seek out the money by declaring himself eligible for the 2002 NBA Draft. He would go undrafted. When all 29 of the NBA teams passed on Cooke in 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. Additionally, Lenny 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 USBL. In 15 games, he averaged 28.8 points per game and a little more than nine rebounds.

Later that year, Lenny 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 most recently played for the Minot Skyrockets of the CBA in 2006-07.

2003 Awards and Accomplishments

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

References

* [http://www.nbadraft.net/profiles/lennycooke.htm NBA Draft.net -- Lenny Cooke profile]
* [http://www.nba.com/dleague/players/lenny_cooke.html NBA Development League]
* [http://www.nba.com/draft2002/profiles/lenny_cooke.html NBA.com]
* [http://www.elon.edu/e-web/pendulum/Issues/2004/5_6/sports/nba.xhtml Hold on Lenny, You'll Get your chance someday]
* [http://www.basslinespin.com/CookeLenny.htm 1999 He's Stands]

External links

Interviews

* [http://www.insidehoops.com/nba_interviews_lennycooke_080102.shtml Inside Hoops.com:Lenny Cooke Interview]
* [http://espn.go.com/ncb/s/2002/0301/1343347.html Long article and Interview on Lenny Cooke]

Articles about

* [http://www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2003/06/26/Sports/Lenny.Cooke.Tries.For.A.Rebound-440918.shtml?norewrite200611102057&sourcedomain=www.westerncourier.com Lenny Cooke tries for a rebound]
* [http://www.browndailyherald.com/media/storage/paper472/news/2005/04/27/Sports/The-Nba.Age.Limit.Is.It.Really.Going.To.Happen-941322.shtml?norewrite200611102059&sourcedomain=www.browndailyherald.com A Day in AGE Limit on Lenny Cooke]
* [http://www.redmen.com/article185.html Lenny Cooke's Quest]
* [http://www.thebrooklynkings.com/games.asp?d=5 Brooklyn Kings profile]
* [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyNjkmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTM0ODU2MjgmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk5 Nets star still has a soft spot for drifting schoolboy prodigy]