Thomas and Cook were in deep conversation as the media entered the gym. “We just talked about past times,” smiled the personable 6-5 guard. “To get the opportunity to see each other again, it was great. My workout? He said I did real well. Just hearing that give you a lot of confidence, especially coming from a great player like him.”

“Cook is a talented, skilled basketball player,” Nets GM Stefanski agreed. “Good athlete, good shooter, puts the ball on the floor well. A very interesting guy.”

Cook, who could still go back to school if he wished, is strongly leaning toward entering the draft at this point. “I have a lot of confidence,” he asserted. “I’ve been to a lot of workouts playing against some of the best college two-guards in the country. And I’ve done real well.”

“I’m a good shooter, play strong “D”,” added Cook. “And one thing you learn playing on a big team like Ohio State, you learn to play a role also. You make sacrifices, learn to be a coach-able kid, be prepared whenever you get a chance to play. I know that’s one of the things NBA teams want.”

“You play with a dominating big man like Greg Oden, a lot of things will go most often his way. So you learn things can’t always go in your direction. You learn about patience.’’

“But you also learn how to be a winner.”

Another premiere two guard candidate, 6-5 Marco Belinelli from Climamio Bologna (Italy), impressed the scouts as well. “He can shoot and he’s quicker than I thought,’’ said Stefanski. “I would see him to a more athletic Jason Kapono. A team where he could play off of a top big man could pick him in the first round.’’

“I’m a strong shooter and I can get to the basket,’’ Belinelli said in clear, though heavily accented English. “But I have to get stronger and more physical. Right now, I’m too little for the NBA.”

Belinelli doesn’t have a favorite NBA team, but “I love Kobe because, like me, he’s a guard.” This comes out sounding a lot like “God”. “Not a coincidence,” Belinelli laughs. “He’s both.”

“Actually, I play little bit like Kyle Korver. But I’m more athletic, I think.”

Nevada big man Nick Fazekas, on the other hand, is thought to be not athletic enough. “The rap on me is that I’m just a shooter,” he said. ”That’s what I’m trying to dispel in these workouts. I can score in the paint. In fact, I scored almost 2,400 points down there.”

“Sure, I know that I’ve got to improve my body, make myself quicker and into a better athlete,” added Fazekas. “But I feel like I can score at the NBA level, right now. If you can find ways to utilize me, I believe I can help out a team a lot.”

“Still, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get better.”

Yes, the NBA is that powerful a goal. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was six years old,” said Belinelli. “It is every kid’s dream in Europe who plays basketball. And it is what I’ve been working for all my life.”