Zach Cooks

Zachery Cooks (born March 4, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for UBSC Graz of the Austrian Basketball Superliga. He previously played collegiately for the Hofstra Pride of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), and the NJIT Highlanders in college.

Zach Cooks
No. 3 – UBSC Graz
PositionPoint guard
LeagueAustrian Basketball Superliga
Personal information
Born (1999-03-04) March 4, 1999
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school
College
Career history
2022–presentUBSC Graz
Career highlights and awards
  • CAA Sixth Man of the Year (2022)
  • 2× Second-team All-ASUN (2019, 2020)
  • Third-team All-America East (2021)

High school career

Cooks began his high school career at Norcross High School. For his junior season, he transferred to Berkmar High School and led the team to the Georgia Sweet 16. Cooks averaged 11.4 points and 2.5 assists per game as a junior. He committed to playing college basketball for NJIT.[1]

College career

Cooks averaged 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a freshman.[2] As a sophomore, he averaged 17.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, earning Second Team All-ASUN honors.[3] On November 20, 2019, he scored a school-record 35 points in a 77–75 loss to Binghamton.[4] Cooks averaged 19.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game as a junior and repeated on the Second Team All-ASUN. He declared for the 2020 NBA draft after the season, but ultimately returned to NJIT.[3] As a senior, Cooks averaged 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.[5] He was named to the Third Team All-America East.[6] Following the season, Cooks took advantage of the additional season of eligibility granted by the NCAA and transferred to Hofstra.[7] On January 22, 2022, he scored 19 points and passed the 2,000 career point mark in a 72–50 win over Northeastern.[8] Cooks was named Colonial Athletic Association Sixth Man of the Year.[9]

Professional career

Following his collegiate career, he signed his first contract as a professional basketball player with UBSC Graz of the Austrian Basketball Superliga in September 2022.[10] In the 2022-23 regular season, he emerged as the league's leading scorer (23.2 points per game).[11]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2017–18 NJIT 30122.1.455.432.7322.22.11.6.28.5
2018–19 NJIT 353537.3.451.349.7324.82.12.5.117.6
2019–20 NJIT 303037.6.405.305.7785.22.21.8.119.7
2020–21 NJIT 191937.7.411.337.7184.91.52.2.117.1
Career 1148533.4.428.347.7464.22.02.0.115.7

References
  1. "2019-20 Highlanders Basketball" (PDF). NJIT Highlanders. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  2. Hammock, Will (January 2, 2019). "GWINNETT GRADS: Berkmar alum Zach Cooks leads Atlantic Sun in scoring". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  3. "Berkmar grad Zach Cooks declares early for NBA Draft". Gwinnett Daily Post. April 19, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  4. "Sessoms hits late jumper, Binghamton beats NJIT 77–75". ESPN. Associated Press. November 20, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  5. "How to Watch NJIT vs. Northwestern: Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time". Sports Illustrated. December 12, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  6. "Ryan Davis Chosen #AEHoops Player of Year Highlight 2020-21 Award Winners" (Press release). America East Conference. February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  7. "New-look Hofstra team building towards return to winning ways". The Hofstra Chronicle. November 8, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  8. Gorchov, Stephen (January 22, 2022). "Cooks Reaches 2,000 Career Points In Hofstra Rout". Hofstra Pride. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  9. "Hofstra's Aaron Estrada voted CAA Player of the Year; Five programs recognized with major awards" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  10. "Neuzugänge: UBSC Graz rüstet sich für Superliga-Saisonstart". MeinBezirk.at (in German). 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  11. "Spielerstats BSL". Österreichischer Basketball-Verband (in German). Retrieved 2023-05-26.
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