Omar Cook
Encyclopedia
Omar Cook is a naturalized Montenegrin professional basketball
player and member of the Montenegro national basketball team
who grew up in the United States. He is often referred to as a prime example of college basketball players who declared for the NBA Draft
too early. He is 1.86 m (6 ft 1 ¼ in) tall. He plays at point guard
position with the pro club Olimpia Milano
.
, and then played college basketball
at St. John's University. Cook ranked second in the nation and first in the Big East in assists during the one year he spent at St. John's. He also broke Mark Jackson's record for the most assists in a game for a St. John's player with 17, against Stony Brook University.
of the NBA
as the third pick in the second round (31st overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft
. He was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets
, but failed to make the team, allegedly because of his inability to shoot the ball effectively. From 2001–2004, Cook made some pre-season appearances for teams in the league, also managing 22 regular season games played (17 with the Portland Trail Blazers
in the 2003–04 season and five with the Toronto Raptors
in the 2004–05 season). In July 2005, he was drafted by the AAPBL, but the league folded less than two weeks after the draft.
He also briefly led the NBA D-League in steals and assists in the 2004–05 season, while playing with the Fayetteville Patriots
. During the 2005–06 season, Cook played in the Belgian league with Dexia Mons-Hainaut
. The following year he played with two teams, the French Pro A
club Strasbourg IG
and the Russian Super League
club Samara
. In the 2007–08 season, he played with the Adriatic League club Red Star Belgrade
. He had the best season of his career with Red Star Belgrade, where he was one of the team leaders.
On June 26, 2008, he joined the Spanish ACB
league's Unicaja Málaga, signing with the club for two seasons. In 2010, he signed a two-year deal with Spanish basketball club Power Electronics Valencia.
In 2011, he signed a two-year deal with Italian team Olimpia Milano
.
citizenship, thus applying to represent Montenegro's national basketball team
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and member of the Montenegro national basketball team
Montenegro national basketball team
The Montenegrin national basketball team represents Montenegro in men's international basketball tournaments. It is organized by the Basketball Federation of Montenegro , which is the governing body of basketball in Montenegro...
who grew up in the United States. He is often referred to as a prime example of college basketball players who declared for the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
too early. He is 1.86 m (6 ft 1 ¼ in) tall. He plays at point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position with the pro club Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
.
Amateur career
Cook played high school basketball at Christ The King Regional High SchoolChrist The King Regional High School
Christ the King Regional High School is a Catholic high school located in Middle Village, Queens, New York, USA and established in 1962. Often referred to as 'CK' among its students, it is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn.-History:...
, and then played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at St. John's University. Cook ranked second in the nation and first in the Big East in assists during the one year he spent at St. John's. He also broke Mark Jackson's record for the most assists in a game for a St. John's player with 17, against Stony Brook University.
Pro career
Cook was drafted by the Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
as the third pick in the second round (31st overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
. He was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, but failed to make the team, allegedly because of his inability to shoot the ball effectively. From 2001–2004, Cook made some pre-season appearances for teams in the league, also managing 22 regular season games played (17 with the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in the 2003–04 season and five with the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
in the 2004–05 season). In July 2005, he was drafted by the AAPBL, but the league folded less than two weeks after the draft.
He also briefly led the NBA D-League in steals and assists in the 2004–05 season, while playing with the Fayetteville Patriots
Fayetteville Patriots
The Fayetteville Patriots were a NBA Development League team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. Its logo design features a bald eagle's head and a basketball in the middle of a capital letter "P" with stars and stripes filling the rest of it.-Season By Season:- Franchise history...
. During the 2005–06 season, Cook played in the Belgian league with Dexia Mons-Hainaut
Dexia Mons-Hainaut
Dexia Mons-Hainaut is a Belgian professional basketball club that is based in Mons, Wallonia. The club competes in the highest division of the Belgian League. The club's home arena is Mons Arena.-History:...
. The following year he played with two teams, the French Pro A
Ligue Nationale de Basketball
The Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
club Strasbourg IG
Strasbourg Illkirch Graffenstaden Basket
Strasbourg Illkirch Graffenstaden Basket, most commonly known as SIG or simply Strasbourg, is a French basketball club based in Strasbourg. The club, founded in 1928, competes in the French Pro A league. The club's home games are played at Rhenus Sport...
and the Russian Super League
Russian Basketball Super League
The Russian Basketball SuperLeague is a men's professional basketball league that was the pre-eminent league of Russian professional basketball until 2010...
club Samara
CSK VSS Samara
CSK VVS Samara is a Russian professional basketball team, based in Samara, Russia. The club was formally patronized by the Russian Air Force . The club is a 2-time bronze medalist in the Russian Super League, in the years 1997 and 1998...
. In the 2007–08 season, he played with the Adriatic League club Red Star Belgrade
KK Crvena zvezda
Košarkaški klub Crvena zvezda is a professional basketball club based in Belgrade, Serbia. Its name Crvena zvezda means Red Star and it's part of the Red Star Belgrade sports society ....
. He had the best season of his career with Red Star Belgrade, where he was one of the team leaders.
On June 26, 2008, he joined the Spanish ACB
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
league's Unicaja Málaga, signing with the club for two seasons. In 2010, he signed a two-year deal with Spanish basketball club Power Electronics Valencia.
In 2011, he signed a two-year deal with Italian team Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
.
Montenegrin national team
In May 2008, Cook received MontenegrinMontenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
citizenship, thus applying to represent Montenegro's national basketball team
Montenegro national basketball team
The Montenegrin national basketball team represents Montenegro in men's international basketball tournaments. It is organized by the Basketball Federation of Montenegro , which is the governing body of basketball in Montenegro...
.