Los Angeles Lakers: 4 reasons fans should embrace Quinn Cook
3. NCAA Champion
Being groomed and coached by Mike Krzyzewski is nothing to shake your head at. You come to college thinking you are a winner, you get the chance to prove it, and Cook did just that.
Coach K has mentored a ton of NBA talent and his teams always play on huge stages. The McDonald’s All-American is not only an NBA Champion, but he is also an NCAA Champion, which means he has played on the world’s two biggest basketball stages.
Here are some of Cook’s accolades throughout his college career:
- NCAA champion (2015)
- Second-team All-American – SN (2015)
- Second-team All-ACC (2015)
- McDonald’s All-American (2011)
Coach K was able to spend four years with Cook which is almost unheard of these days. At a Final Four press conference, his coach spoke of their relationship. It has to bring tears to your eyes when you read what he said:
"I love Quinn. And he uh, he’s lovable. You know he’s, he and Nolan are real close — He and Nolan shared a very tragic experience in their lives when they lost their fathers — So an older male relationship was voided, there was a missing part. I think every coach would say this, when we recruit kids who have one parent, especially if their father’s not a part of it, they understand there’s going to be a different relationship – for a whole year –he’s the one who started it, every time we meet as a team and we get together and we join hands, his hand is in mine. There are hundreds of times and he initiated that and now I so look forward to it."
Quinn spoke at the end of the season banquet and he said he dreaded the end of the season. He thanked everyone at Duke for making it a family-oriented place. He also thanked everyone behind the scenes who don’t get enough credit. He too spoke about his bond with Coach K, he got all choked up, “You’ve been more than I can imagine, you’ve been my father, you’ve been like my father.”
This just goes to show you how much integrity and charm Quinn has, as well as skill and all he learned from playing and becoming a champion in one of the most storied programs in the NCAA and the world.
Four years playing in the NCAA can make a big difference in a players attitude and more and it is evident listening to his speech.