Oregon Basketball: Profile of five-star class of 2023 commit Mookie Cook

Offense

Offensively, there is much to like about Cook’s game. His game is far away from being complete but you can see the upside due to the intangibles. Cook falls between the middle of the raw and skilled spectrum. With a more expanded role next year at AZ Compass we can see Cook take off as an offensive player.

This past season he was used primarily in handoff, spot-up, cut, and pick actions. Due to the many guards on the AZ Compass team there can be a sense of why the coaches used him in those specific sets. Those actions however do not define Cook as an offensive player because his untapped skillset and few dynamic flashes happen to say otherwise.

Cook is as athletic as they come. Playing against him you’d be mindful not to get in his way when he is attempting to catch a lob or when has an open runway to liftoff.

(via Garrett Lyon /YouTube)

(via The Draftmatic /YouTube)

In an interview with Rivals Krysten Peek, she poses the question “your game personally, where have you seen the most improvement from the beginning of the year to now?” Cook responds “catch and shoot and “reads coming off screens”. Cook is smooth in mechanics and fluid in motion when dealing with his shot. You can say that his catch and shoot ability is far ahead of his generated isolation 3-point shots.

(via SportsCenter NEXT /YouTube)

He does not command a high usage rate so sticking him off-ball will be of ease. Cook makes quick reads based on his offensive role, not being tasked to do too much. He is not one of those wings that do not have tunnel vision on offense. Even though the NBA physique is there he often does not look to use it unless it is drawn up for him play-wise to do so. Cook plays within the role asked of him.

A simple give-and-go action here with teammate [Kylan] Boswell. Cook could develop into a secondary creator from the dual-forward position over time.

(via The Draftmatic /YouTube)

In transition, Cook runs the lanes with ease finding open pockets of spaces to receive the ball for easier looks to score. Before a defensive possession is even over he’s often seen leaking out. Playing in an aggressive defensive scheme could open up these coveted scoring opportunities for Cook.

Finishing has to be one of the easier facets when analyzing Cook’s offensive game. Being so agile, strong, and technically gifted Cook can finish in all sorts of ways. Even if the first attempt is off he is athletic enough to attempt a second jump to try and put it back up. Going forward, being able to finish with both hands around the basket will be an area of focus.

(via Coach Damian /YouTube)

Cook knows that improving his handle will be key to unlocking his full potential as a basketball player. Playing on the wing his game screams more than the cliché “3-and-D” tag. He offers so much more on the court. Being able to put the ball on the ground and creating some semblance of offense could create mismatches on that end.