When Daequan Cook steps onto the basketball floor- at the Integris Health Thunder Development Center, Chesapeake Energy Arena or at community events - his laugh booms and his energy reverberates through those around him.
On Tuesday, Cook took time out of his busy summer schedule to work with the kids at the Thunder Youth Basketball Camp at the Thunder Event Center , displaying his unique verve. The team hosted its eighth of nine camps this week, with boys and girls aged five through 16 learning from counselors like Thunder Youth Basketball director Tyler Blackwell and even players like Cook throughout the summer.
This past season Cook saw action in 57 of the Thunder’s 66 regular season games, starting 22. During those games he averaged 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds on 34.6 percent three-point shooting while playing 17.4 minutes per game. That sharpshooter also sparked a key run during Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, when he went 3-for-3 from the floor for eight points during a four minute stretch.
This summer, Cook has been working hard to improve his craft, working out at the team’s practice facility and even supporting his teammates at Summer League by taking his workout sessions to Orlando in mid-July. After the former Ohio State guard was done playing five-on-five with the kids at the Thunder Youth Basketball camp, he took the time to chat with thunder.nba.com.
On his time with the kids at Thunder Youth Basketball Camp:
Cook: “It was a lot of fun for me to come be in town, come out here and spend a little time with the kids, especially knowing they support us a lot and they look up to us. It’s fun to come out here and have a good time with them.”
On why he is always so energetic and why these events matter to him:
Cook: “I know they look up to us. At the end of the day they don’t have the opportunity to be around us as much. For me, I take advantage of it. It’s important, a lot of kids look up to us and we always want to have a positive attitude and impact on their lives. For me to come out here and be able to interact with them for an hour, I like having a good time anyway.”
On his workouts this summer in Oklahoma City:
Cook: “It’s been great. That’s the most important thing, to be able to work out with your teammates, the guys you’re going to be on the court with, getting a good feel for each other. It starts in the summer. The most important thing for us right now as individuals is to get better, to improve our roles to help our team win next year. That’s what we’ve been doing. Plus I live here, so it’s just been important for me to stay on top of my game.”
On supporting his teammates at Summer League in Orlando:
Cook: “It’s very important, we’re always supportive of all our teammates. This is a family here. We take responsibility for a lot of things. Eric (Maynor) and I knew it would be important for us to at least go down there to support the team and work out together. It was just fun doing that as well.”
On watching his Thunder teammates Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka compete in the Olympics:
Cook: “It’s been great. Last night’s game, watching KD play. He had an amazing game last night. It’s just shows how much our team puts in the work and looks forward to playing and how competitive they are. It’s been fun watching them play.”