{{short description|American basketball player (born 1991)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Derek Cooke | image = Derek Cooke 4.jpg | caption = Cooke in December 2017 | position = Power forward / center | height_m = 2.06 | weight_kg = 100 | league = | team = Free agent | number = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1991|8|23}} | birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S. | high_school = Friendly<br/>(Fort Washington, Maryland) | college = *Cloud County CC (2011–2012) *Wyoming (2012–2015) | draft_year = 2015 | career_start = 2015 | years1 = 2015 | team1 = Rethymno Cretan Kings | years2 = 2015–2017 | team2 = Bakersfield Jam / Northern Arizona Suns | years3 = 2017–2018 | team3 = Perth Wildcats | years4 = 2018–2019 | team4 = Northern Arizona Suns | years5 = 2019 | team5 = Raptors 905 | years6 = 2019 | team6 = Hamilton Honey Badgers | years7 = 2019–2020 | team7 = Trieste | years8 = 2020 | team8 = Hamilton Honey Badgers | years9 = 2021 | team9 = Tsmoki-Minsk | years10 = 2021 | team10 = Brose Bamberg | years11 = 2021–2022 | team11 = Hapoel Gilboa Galil | years12 = 2022–2023 | team12 = Treviso Basket | years13 = 2023 | team13 = Skyliners Frankfurt | years14 = 2023–2024 | team14 = Dolomiti Energia Trento | years15 = 2024 | team15 = Força Lleida | years16 = 2025 | team16 = Pistoia Basket 2000 | highlights = }} '''Derek Vincent Cooke Jr.''' (born August 23, 1991) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Pistoia Basket 2000 of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played three years of Division I college basketball for Wyoming.
==High school career== Cooke attended Friendly High School in Fort Washington, Maryland, where he was a wide receiver on the football team and did not play basketball. An NCAA qualifier after graduating, he decided to take a year off from school and also hit a growth spurt, before enrolling at Cloud County Community College to play basketball.<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.gowyo.com/sport/m-baskbl/2016/roster/5773e8dde4b0bdd131abc0f4|title=Bio for Derek Cooke Jr.|work=GoWyo.com|access-date=September 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927033705/http://www.gowyo.com/sport/m-baskbl/2016/roster/5773e8dde4b0bdd131abc0f4|archive-date=September 27, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==College career== Cooke spent one year at Cloud County CC. During his freshman season, he helped the Thunderbirds to a 25–8 overall record. Cloud County went 11–5 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference and advanced to the semifinals of the NJCAA Division I Region VI Tournament. Cooke notched team highs of 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 55 percent from the floor to go with 6.0 points and nearly one steal per game.<ref name="bio" />
In 2012, Cooke transferred to Wyoming. During his senior season, Cooke averaged 8.1 points and 5.8 rebounds while helping the Cowboys reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002.<ref name="bio" /><ref name="Trib">{{cite web|url=http://trib.com/sports/college/wyoming/mbb/former-wyoming-forward-derek-cooke-jr-signs-with-greek-professional/article_fb1b507f-abb4-56d5-8a0e-c78caff2040b.html|title=Former Wyoming forward Derek Cooke Jr. signs with Greek professional team|date=June 24, 2015|work=Trib.com|access-date=November 6, 2015}}</ref>
==Professional career==
===Rethymno Cretan Kings (2015)=== After going undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft, on June 25, 2015, Cooke signed with the Rethymno Cretan Kings of the Greek Basket League.<ref name="Trib" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/greece/165453/rethymno-announces-rookie-derek-cooke.html|title=Rethymno announces rookie Derek Cooke|date=June 25, 2015|work=Sportando.com|access-date=November 2, 2015}}</ref> However, he parted ways with the club in late October after appearing in just three games.
===Northern Arizona Suns (2015–2017)=== On November 2, 2015, he was acquired by the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bakersfield.dleague.nba.com/news/jam-announce-2015-16-training-camp-roster/|title=Jam Announce 2015-16 Training Camp Roster|date=November 2, 2015|work=NBA.com|access-date=November 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811060332/http://bakersfield.dleague.nba.com/news/jam-announce-2015-16-training-camp-roster/|archive-date=August 11, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In July 2016, Cooke joined the Phoenix Suns for the 2016 NBA Summer League. On September 25, 2016, he signed with the Suns,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/phoenix-suns-sign-four-players-ahead-training-camp|title=Phoenix Suns Sign Four Players ahead of Training Camp|work=NBA.com|date=September 25, 2016|access-date=September 25, 2016}}</ref> but was waived on October 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/phoenix-suns-waive-three-players-trim-preseason-roster|title=Phoenix Suns Waive Three Players to Trim Preseason Roster|work=NBA.com|date=October 10, 2016|access-date=October 10, 2016}}</ref> On October 31, 2016, he was acquired by the Northern Arizona Suns as an affiliate player of Phoenix.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://northernarizona.dleague.nba.com/news/northern-arizona-suns-set-training-camp-roster/|title=Northern Arizona Suns Set Training Camp Roster|work=NBA.com|date=October 31, 2016|access-date=November 2, 2016|archive-date=December 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221183423/http://northernarizona.dleague.nba.com/news/northern-arizona-suns-set-training-camp-roster/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Perth Wildcats (2017–2018)=== On July 27, 2017, Cooke signed with the Perth Wildcats for the 2017–18 NBL season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wildcats.com.au/featured-news/wildcats-sign-derek-cooke-junior-complete-roster/|title=WILDCATS SIGN DEREK COOKE JUNIOR TO COMPLETE ROSTER|work=Wildcats.com.au|date=July 27, 2017|access-date=July 27, 2017|archive-date=July 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730022315/http://www.wildcats.com.au/featured-news/wildcats-sign-derek-cooke-junior-complete-roster/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He appeared in all 30 games for the Wildcats in 2017–18, averaging 5.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
===Second stint with Northern Arizona Suns (2018–2019)=== Cooke re-joined the Northern Arizona Suns in October 2018.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Withee |first1=Jacob |title=NAZ Suns Announce 2018-19 Training Camp Roster |url=https://northernarizona.gleague.nba.com/news/naz-suns-announce-2018-19-training-camp-roster/ |website=NBA.com |access-date=October 22, 2018 |date=October 21, 2018 |archive-date=March 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326071740/https://northernarizona.gleague.nba.com/news/naz-suns-announce-2018-19-training-camp-roster/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Raptors 905 (2019)=== On January 15, 2019, the Raptors 905 acquired Cooke from the Northern Arizona Suns for Khadeem Lattin and the returning rights to Yanick Moreira.<ref>{{cite web|title=Raptors 905 Acquire Derek Cooke Jr.|url=https://raptors905.gleague.nba.com/news/raptors-905-acquire-derek-cooke-jr|date=January 15, 2019|website=NBA.com|access-date=January 15, 2019|archive-date=January 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116200915/https://raptors905.gleague.nba.com/news/raptors-905-acquire-derek-cooke-jr/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Hamilton Honey Badgers (2019)=== After the conclusion of the 2018–19 NBA G League season, Cooke was drafted into the startup Canadian Elite Basketball League's Hamilton Honey Badgers,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hamilton Honey Badger's head coach breaks down the CEBL draft|url=https://www.chch.com/hamilton-honey-badgers-head-coach-chantal-vallee-breaks-down-cebl-draft/|website=CHCH|access-date=April 29, 2019|date=March 25, 2019}}</ref> where he would reunite with former Raptors 905 teammates, MiKyle McIntosh and Duane Notice.
===Pallacanestro Trieste (2019–2020)=== On July 14, 2019, he has signed with Pallacanestro Trieste of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/derek-cooke-jr-signs-with-trieste/|title=Derek Cooke Jr. signs with Trieste|date=July 14, 2019|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=August 23, 2019|last1=Lupo |first1=Nicola }}</ref>
===Canadian Elite Basketball League (2020)=== In July 2020, Cooke joined the Hamilton Honey Badgers for the 2020 CEBL season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Honey Badgers Turn to NBA, Top International Experience in Quest to Take Next Step to CEBL Championship |url=https://www.honeybadgers.ca/honey-badgers-turn-to-nba-top-international-experience-in-quest-to-take-next-step-to-cebl-championship |publisher=honeybadgers.ca |date=July 24, 2020 }}</ref>
===Tsmoki-Minsk (2021)=== On January 2, 2021, he signed with Tsmoki-Minsk of the VTB United League.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/derek-cooke-jr-signs-with-tsmoki-minsk/|title=Derek Cooke Jr. signs with Tsmoki-Minsk|date=January 2, 2021|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=January 2, 2021|last1=Lupo |first1=Nicola }}</ref>
===Brose Bamberg (2021)=== On July 30, 2021, he signed with Brose Bamberg of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/brose-bamberg-lands-derek-cooke-jr/|title=Brose Bamberg lands Derek Cooke jr |last=|first=|date=July 30, 2021|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=August 2, 2021|last1=Carchia |first1=Emiliano}}</ref>
===Hapoel Gilboa Galil (2021–2022)=== On October 25, 2021, he signed with Hapoel Gilboa Galil of the Israeli Premier League.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/hapoel-galil-gilboa-reportedly-close-to-sign-derek-cooke-jr/|title=Hapoel Galil Gilboa reportedly close to sign Derek Cooke Jr|last=|first=|date=October 25, 2021|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=November 18, 2021|last1=Skerletic |first1=Dario }}</ref>
===Treviso Basket (2022–2023)=== On July 21, 2022, he has signed with Treviso Basket of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/treviso-signs-derek-cooke/|title=Nutribullet Treviso adds Derek Cooke jr|last=|first=|date=July 21, 2022|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=August 8, 2022|last1=Carchia |first1=Emiliano }}</ref>
===Skyliners Frankfurt (2023)=== On February 28, 2023, he signed with Skyliners Frankfurt of the Basketball Bundesliga.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/derek-cooke-leaves-treviso-to-sign-with-skyliners/|title=Derek Cooke leaves Treviso to sign with Skyliners|last=|first=|date=February 28, 2023|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=February 28, 2023 |last1=Maggi |first1=Alessandro }}</ref>
===Aquila Basket Trento (2023–2024)=== On August 5, 2023, he signed with Dolomiti Energia Trento of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aquilabasket.it/news/502005140998/ecco-derek-cooke-jr|title=Ecco Derek Cooke Jr|last=|first=|date=August 5, 2023|website=aquilabasket.it|publisher=|language=it|access-date=August 12, 2023}}</ref>
===Força Lleida (2024)=== On September 12, 2024, Cooke signed with the Força Lleida of the Liga ACB.<ref>{{cite web |title=Derek Cooke arriba al Hiopos Lleida |url=https://flleida.cat/derek-cooke-arriba-al-hiopos-lleida/ |website=Força Lleida |access-date=February 17, 2025 |date=September 12, 2024}}</ref> On December 9, 2024, his contract was terminated.<ref>{{cite web |title=El Força Lleida i Derek Cooke arribem a un acord de rescissió de contracte |url=https://flleida.cat/el-forca-lleida-i-derek-cooke-arribem-a-un-acord-de-rescissio-de-contracte/ |website=Força Lleida |access-date=February 17, 2025 |date=December 9, 2024}}</ref>
===Pistoia Basket 2000 (2025)=== On January 1, 2025, Cooke signed with the Pistoia Basket 2000 of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).<ref>{{cite web |title=Estra Pistoia Basket firma Derek Cooke Jr |url=https://www.pistoiabasket2000.com/home/estra-pistoia-basket-firma-derek-cooke-jr/ |website=Pistoia Basket 2000 |access-date=February 17, 2025 |date=January 1, 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://stats.nbadleague.com/player/#!/1627496/ NBDL profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160927033705/http://www.gowyo.com/sport/m-baskbl/2016/roster/5773e8dde4b0bdd131abc0f4 Wyoming Cowboys bio] *[http://www.wildcats.com.au/perth-wildcats/cooke-jr-takes-unique-road-pro-basketball/ "Cooke Jr paves unique path to pro basketball"]{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at wildcats.com.au *[https://thewest.com.au/sport/basketball/perth-brings-key-wildcat-derek-cooke-jnr-peace-of-mind-ng-b88760190z "Perth brings key Wildcat Derek Cooke Jnr 'peace of mind'"] at thewest.com.au
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooke, Derek}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:American expatriate basketball people in Australia Category:American expatriate basketball people in Belarus Category:American expatriate basketball people in Canada Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy Category:American expatriate basketball people in Spain Category:American men's basketball players Category:Bakersfield Jam players Category:Basketball players from Washington, D.C. Category:BC Tsmoki-Minsk players Category:Bamberg Baskets players Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Cloud County Community College alumni Category:Força Lleida CE players Category:Hapoel Gilboa Galil players Category:Junior college men's basketball players in the United States Category:Lega Basket Serie A players Category:Liga ACB players Category:Northern Arizona Suns players Category:Pallacanestro Trieste players Category:Perth Wildcats players Category:Pistoia Basket 2000 players Category:Power forwards Category:Raptors 905 players Category:Rethymno B.C. players Category:Universo Treviso Basket players Category:Wyoming Cowboys basketball players