Quinn Cook Is Back In The NBA And His Former Teammates Are Thrilled

Which says a great deal about their respect for Cook

Quinn Cook is back in the NBA, having signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. At 29, his chances of becoming a major success aren’t that great but he might be able to parlay that contract into a long-term relationship with the Kings.

But that’s not what’s unusual about Cook. Most guys who make the NBA have short careers and those who stick, while they include the greats, include a lot of guys who are career role players, which is what Cook is.

But what’s really unusual about Cook is how much the guys he’s played with love him. When he heard that Cook had been signed, LeBron James was really happy for him. So was Draymond Green.

It reminds us of when Cook won a ring with Green and the Golden State Warriors and coach Steve Kerr took some time to congratulate Cook and to tell him that he proved he belongs. It was really unusual for the head coach to talk to a reserve with an uncertain future that way, but Cook gets that kind of response a lot.

What we’re saying is what we’ve said before: Cook clearly has extraordinary people skills. The top-line players clearly respect him as an equal. His future as a player is limited if only by time, but as a coach?

A guy with his ability to connect with people and to lead, even off the bench, has the potential to be a hell of a coach. We hope he plays as long as he wants to, but his future, his most glittering future, is on the sidelines.