What Cooks signing would mean for NBL

The Sydney Kings are set to make a splash ahead of NBL25, as they look to reclaim their championship crown.

Brian Goorjian has been reappointed as the club’s head coach, and the re-signings of key duo Kouat Noi and Shaun Bruce followed reports that not only was Cairns star Bul Kuol considering moving to the club, but that star former MVP Xavier Cooks would be returning to the organisation.

Cooks departed the Kings following back-to-back titles with the club. He was named the Larry Sengstock Trophy winner in Sydney’s NBL22 triumph, and was named the league’s MVP in NBL23.

An NBA opportunity beckoned with the Washington Wizards, but since being waived by the franchise, Cooks has been plying his trade with Japanese side Chiba Jets.

Goorjian told The Huddle that when he came back on board with the club with which he won an NBL title threepeat in the early 2000s, re-signing Cooks was listed as priority one.

“When I got the job my number one priority was to do everything I can – I owed it to the organisation and myself – to bring him back,” Goorjian said.

“I think when you look at the Kings and a big piece that’s missing, a lot of times over the years I’ve lost a player and you go ’15 rebounds, 18 points, how are we going to replace this?’, then you go and get this guy and bring him in and you say, ‘there was so much more’. 

“You come in and you don’t have that little bit of humour at practice, or that voice in the locker room, and I think what you see with Xavier when he left is there was so much more missing for the organisation and his teammates.”

Cooks’ reported re-signing isn’t just a bonus for the Kings though, according to Goorjian. The legendary head coach believes the continued ability to attract Asian and European based local talent back to the NBL will lead to the league further establishing itself as one of the best in the world.

Former Wildcat Nick Kay and former 36er Brock Motum have been flying the flag for Australia’s Boomers contingent in Japan over the past few years, while the likes of Jo Lual-Acuil Jr, Duop Reath and Thon Maker heading to China in recent seasons.

Motum has been consistently linked with a potential return to the NBL ahead of next season.

Goorjian himself has an extensive history within the Asian basketball landscape and himself departed the NBL in 2009, before he spent a decade coaching in China and working to establish the East Asia Super League.

Goorjian says bringing talents like Cooks and Kay back into the NBL would provide further evidence of its quality on an international scale.

“I look at it from a league standpoint, you watch all the games and you hear Homicide (Corey Williams) and all those guys saying it’s the second-best league in the world ... if it’s the second-best league in the world – and I think it’s going that way – the way to analyse that is if you’re not playing in the NBL and you’re Australian, why the hell wouldn’t you be playing in the NBL?,” Goorjian said.

“Bringing guys like him (Cooks) back, bringing guys like Nick Kay back is a real statement that yes, we are here, because we are producing some great players who are wanted in those places.

“I’ve been over there in those regions and I’m proof this is where you want to be. If we get this done, and we’re right there, I think it’s great for the Kings, the Kings’ brand, and the NBL.”