Oklahoma City Thunder expected to sign former HBCU star

The Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA are expected to sign Javonte Cooke, a former HBCU basketball star to a contract.

Cooke, who played his senior season at Division II HBCU Winston-Salem State University, is expected to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Cooke has spent the last two seasons playing for the Iowa Wolves, the G League Affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 44.4% from the field and 37.5% from the three-point range in 32 games (27 starts) last season.

After a strong collegiate career, Cooke joined the Iowa Wolves for the 2022-23 season and the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 2023 NBA Summer League. Despite a slow start, he finished the summer league with back-to-back double-digit performances, including a team-high 16 points against the Charlotte Hornets. His ability to contribute in various facets of the game—scoring, rebounding, and providing highlight-worthy plays like a thunderous putback dunk—caught the attention of many.

Before his professional journey, Cooke made a significant impact in the CIAA while playing for HBCU Winston-Salem State. During the 2021-2022 season, he averaged 17.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and shot nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc. One of his most memorable college performances came in the CIAA Tournament, where he scored a season-high 31 points, leading WSSU to a dominant win.

Cooke’s path to success included stints at USC-Aiken and Mars Hill University before arriving at WSSU, where he solidified his reputation as a versatile and reliable guard.

He will now look to stick with the Oklahoma City Thunder organization.

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