REPORT: Kings Cook up massive signing

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

ESPN's Olgun Uluc says the Sydney Kings are set to sign Xavier Cooks on a massive three-year deal.

Two-time champion and NBL23 MVP Xavier Cooks is reportedly on his way back to the NBL, in a deal that has been dubbed "the biggest in NBL history".

Speaking on an emergency edition of The Marketplace, ESPN's Olgun Uluc said he believed the Sydney Kings were set to regain their star man on a three-year deal.

“My reporting as ESPN this evening is that Xavier Cooks has agreed to a new three-year deal to join the Sydney Kings," Uluc said.

“I’m told that this is the largest deal in NBL history.

“At no point in the league’s 46-year history has a player earned more per year than what Xavier Cooks is about to earn.

“This is a massive coup for the Sydney Kings, a huge coup for the NBL and Xavier Cooks is returning home."

Uluc reported new coach Brian Goorjian played a key role in bringing Cooks back to the club, travelling to the Philippines with CEO Chris Pongrass to visit their main signing target.

"The Kings placed Xavier Cooks at the very top of their list of priorities," Uluc said.

"This was as mutual as it gets. It's Xavier Cooks having won back-to-back championships with the Sydney Kings, and he wants to win again."

Cooks departed the Kings at the end of the NBL23 season, playing 10 games with the Washington Wizards in the NBA, before joining the Chiba Jets in Japan.

He left the NBL following a year in which he averaged 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists, claiming a spot in the All-NBL First Team and named as the league's Most Valuable Player.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Xavier Cooks has agreed to a new three-year deal with the Sydney Kings, sources told ESPN, in what is the largest deal in NBL history. Details on <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a>.<a href="https://t.co/RY6don2lzr">https://t.co/RY6don2lzr</a></p>— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlgunUluc/status/1769985692606828966?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>