What is Tyler Cook's projected position at NBA level?

[HawkLogic]

Is he going to be a power forward or have more perimeter role at NBA level? As PF, he already looks to have athleticism/hands/finishing ability to play position, but his rebounding/blocked shots/defense is not as impressive. Obviously he has potential and looks to have great attitude.

I'm assuming he will be back for sophomore year...getting him back for Junior year seems unlikely.

How was Iowa able to sign him vs competition like Kansas? Last time Iowa got someone with his pedigree this was probably Roy Marble senior.

 

[mazda1]

He's a long ways from being NBA ready. He's a tweener at the next level. Those who see him as ready in a year or two are drinking the Kool aid.

 

[StormHawk42]

He's a 4 year player unless he develops a reliable 3 point shot and much. Improved rebounding. But yes he'll be a PF.

 

[moon291]

Is he going to be a power forward or have more perimeter role at NBA level? As PF, he already looks to have athleticism/hands/finishing ability to play position, but his rebounding/blocked shots/defense is not as impressive. Obviously he has potential and looks to have great attitude.

I'm assuming he will be back for sophomore year...getting him back for Junior year seems unlikely.

How was Iowa able to sign him vs competition like Kansas? Last time Iowa got someone with his pedigree this was probably Roy Marble senior.

He is a fine athlete but there are hundreds and hundreds of others just as good. He wouldn't get a sniff of the NBA until he develops a shooting touch.

 

[Mohawkeye]

He is a fine athlete but there are hundreds and hundreds of others just as good. He wouldn't get a sniff of the NBA until he develops a shooting touch.

I think that's an exaggeration. He does need to refine his inside game and hit the 12-15 footer consistently. He isn't THAT far off from developing in 1-2 years. The talk of him going this year was absurd.

 

[SSG T]

I think that's an exaggeration. He does need to refine his inside game and hit the 12-15 footer consistently. He isn't THAT far off from developing in 1-2 years. The talk of him going this year was absurd.

Agreed.

At this point, his biggest stopping point might actually be his defense and rebounding. He has the size, despite the commonly held opinion, and he's probably just a bit away offensively as Mo said. But he needs to learn to guard the post, get better on help defense and become a far better rebounder. If he improved those, I'd bet he'd get a good look even if his offense didn't improve a lot.

 

[ZumaHawk]

Absolutely love this kid but until he knocks down 15 footers with consistency he'll be a 4 year player with the Hawks. I like that idea by the way!!!

 

[RogerKint]

Absolutely love this kid but until he knocks down 15 footers with consistency he'll be a 4 year player with the Hawks. I like that idea by the way!!!

I agree. If he can hit the 15 footer, he will be dangerous because of his quick first step to the basket and his ability to finish with authority. He has a lot of talent.

 

[MGOHAWK2]

I think he could go next year. The NBA doesn't expect finished products from college. They draft more on what they can turn into.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Viewer

 

[andoboy]

Have you people lost your senses... Tyler Cook is a good freshman prospect.. He is a raw talent and maybe at this point our teams 4th best player. To even suggest that he is NBA material at this point is ridiculous.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Honestly, as others said he is a tweener in NBA terms. Most PFs are 6'9" or taller and have a good mid-range game. He won't grow another inch or two, and he's not Sir Charles, so he'd be looking at SF. But his game isn't even remotely close to that right now. He's probably a 25% or less shooter from NCAA 3 point range, so cut that down some for the NBA. And he isn't quick enough to defend SFs off of the dribble at the NBA level. These are things that can be improved in time, but take years.

I think his one chance would be to become an amazing specialist at something. Look at the careers that Reggie Evans and Ryan Bowen had in the NBA because of their rebounding and defense specializations respectively. Neither of them looked to score and teams liked having a guy like that around for 10-15 minutes a game. Of course rebounding and defense are the weakest part of Cook's game right now.

I'm happy that we have a great post presence right now between him and Pemsl and look forward to seeing their growth together over the next 3.5 years.

 

[HellaHawk]

Tyler Cook is 6'9" and not exactly sleight of build. I see no reason why he can't play PF in the NBA. No way he becomes a SF. Still has a long time to develop a mid-range game.

 

[iowalawhawk]

The NBA drafts on potential, not results. Tyler's potential is through the roof.

He needs to shoot better, rebound better and defend better. Thag could all happen within the next year.

 

[33hawkfan]

Viewer

This. But he'll be an awesome four year player for us.

 

[33hawkfan]

The NBA drafts on potential, not results. Tyler's potential is through the roof.

He needs to shoot better, rebound better and defend better. Thag could all happen within the next year.

Not really, he's an undersized four with no jumper. Those guys are a dime a dozen in the NBDL.

 

[iowalawhawk]

Not really, he's an undersized four with no jumper. Those guys are a dime a dozen in the NBDL.

Sure it could. Not saying it will, just that its possible. The difference between the D League and the NBA can be a total crapshoot.

 

[Hawksfor3]

The NBA drafts on potential, not results. Tyler's potential is through the roof.

He needs to shoot better, rebound better and defend better. Thag could all happen within the next year.

Agree, he oozes potential, and is raw. I would say give it a year of development, see where he is, at the 4. 15 footer will come IMO, but definitely needs work on defending the post and rebounding.

I notice that we give up the baseline a lot. Not just Cook, either.

 

[e720718998]

Does he really have no jumper? He just hasn't shot it much I think.

 

[33hawkfan]

Sure it could. Not saying it will, just that its possible. The difference between the D League and the NBA can be a total crapshoot.

His potential as far as the NBA goes is not "through the roof". The kind of fours the NBA drafts on potential are long 6'10" guys who can either stretch the floor or protect the rim, Cook is only 6'8", very borderline four size if you can't do either of the above things.

 

[e720718998]

If Dougy Mcbuckets can play in the league Cook is gone after 3 seasons

 

[91hawki]

He needs to work on his fundamentals- as others have noted: defense, rebounding, etc.

If he had Pemsl's footwork and interior moves (which will be worked on), the size and talent is there.

He would just over power people in H.S. Different now at the college level and the NBA is obviously the elite.

 

[33hawkfan]

If Dougy Mcbuckets can play in the league Cook is gone after 3 seasons

If Isaiah Thomas can play in the NBA, Cook is gone after this year.

 

[EastIowaHawk]

Agree he's got a ways to go before the NBA would draft him, but time is on his side. He picked Iowa (to answer the OP's opening question, part 2) is because his mother wants him in a clean program run by a decent coach who will encourage her boy to pursue his studies and stay out of trouble. That's why he went to Chaminade Catholic College Prep in St. Louis, where its students have an average SAT of 1300 and an average ACT of 28.

 

[e720718998]

If Isaiah Thomas can play in the NBA, Cook is gone after this year.

What?

 

[33hawkfan]

What?

I thought we were throwing out non-sensical NBA player comparisons for Cook, is that not what we were doing?

 

[e720718998]

I thought we were throwing out non-sensical NBA player comparisons for Cook, is that not what we were doing?

You could of picked a guy that played the 4 atleast

 

[33hawkfan]

You could of picked a guy that played the 4 atleast

Why? McDermott and Cook are just about as similar as Cook and Thomas.

 

[Kurt Warner]

If Dougy Mcbuckets can play in the league Cook is gone after 3 seasons

Dougy is one hell of a shooter

 

[e720718998]

Why? McDermott and Cook are just about as similar as Cook and Thomas.

No

 

[iahawkeyes17]

Does he really have no jumper? He just hasn't shot it much I think.

I don't think it's as bad as some think it is. Can't forgot he had surgery on a finger on his shooting hand and has only played 5 games since. That definitely effects ones shot and cause him to be more hesitant to shoot outside. Remember before he hurt shot more outside like seton hall game hit some open jumpers. Like announcers say with pemsl on ft line and same goes for cook both have good form and no reason ft shooting % won't improve over time and same with mid range jumpers for both.

 

[e720718998]

Dougy is one hell of a shooter

Yes he is!!

 

[buttermypancakes]

No

Yes.

Some people in this thread obviously don't watch the NBA. The draft on "potential" doesn't work with cook. 33Hawkfan hit it on the head. There isn't much potential in a 6'8" PF. Everyone Cook would play against would be just as athletic and have 2-3 inches on him.

Montrezl Harrell is the closet guy to Cook's size that I can think of but he's a beast on the boards. Cook is going to have to find a shot to spread the floor or he will have to be a garbage guy but he will be a role player at best. You don't see to many guys flip the switch to turn themselves into a elite hustle/garbage guy and Cook hasn't shown that energy thus far.

 

[e720718998]

Yes.

Some people in this thread obviously don't watch the NBA. The draft on "potential" doesn't work with cook. 33Hawkfan hit it on the head. There isn't much potential in a 6'8" PF. Everyone Cook would play against would be just as athletic and have 2-3 inches on him.

Montrezl Harrell is the closet guy to Cook's size that I can think of but he's a beast on the boards. Cook is going to have to find a shot to spread the floor or he will have to be a garbage guy but he will be a role player at best. You don't see to many guys flip the switch to turn themselves into a elite hustle/garbage guy and Cook hasn't shown that energy thus far.

He averages 3 rebounds a game that's a beast?

 

[VicHawkeye]

Isaiah Moss will be an NBA player.

 

[buttermypancakes]

He averages 3 rebounds a game that's a beast?

LOL, good discussion. I know you probably don't know who Harrell is but just looked up his stats and saw he averages 3.9 rebounds and game (as a role player) but that's a guy who was close they averaging a double double in college which is where my comment came from. If anything that shows you how tough it is for a guy of that stature to translate to the NBA game.

Keep comparing Cook to Doug McDermott though. If a top 5 scorer in college basketball history can make the NBA then Cook's gone. Derpity Derp Derp.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Seriously, just look at the Best PFs that Iowa has had in the last 20 years.

Bowen, extremely good defender and decent offensive game. Role player in the NBA for a decent career.
Evans, double double machine for us. Role player in the NBA for a decent career.
Brunner, extremely gifted player scoring, rebounding, and defense for us with a lot of heart but only 5'10" tall. Not even a sniff in the NBA.
White, decent shooter, high motor, dunk machine for us. Barely got a sniff from the NBA.

What does Cook offer?
1. He's not an elite rebounder currently, and that is hard to teach as it typically comes naturally.
2. He's not an elite defender, which could be taught over time.
3. I've seen his height listed between 6'7" and 6'9". Typically the real answer is in the shorter end of the spectrum.
4. He has very good athleticism. But I'm not sure if he's at Thunder Doug's level of jumping.
5. He has shown some streaky ability to hit outside shots.
6. He's show some really great post moves which are hard to teach.

All of that adds up to a guy that is here for four years unless he develops a portion of his game up to elite level. Consider that only 60 people get drafted every year. Many of whom don't make a roster. Plus a large portion of that 60 are coming in from overseas. Plus there are a lot of great college players that never play in the NBA because of size or one hole in their game. Just for us I can count off Woolridge, Settles, Kingsbury, Recker, Brunner, Haluska, White, Uthoff, and others. Of course some of those guys were hurt by injuries but the point still stands. Around the time that the NBA started pulling in a lot of foreign players is when Iowa stopped routinely putting players on an NBA roster or at least 2nd round draft picks.

Someone mentioned McDermott made it so Cook should be able to. Well, Doug is an elite level shooter and decent enough at everything else.

Having said all of that. The early returns show that him being here for four years will be very good for us.

 

[e720718998]

LOL, good discussion. I know you probably don't know who Harrell is but just looked up his stats and saw he averages 3.9 rebounds and game (as a role player) but that's a guy who was close they averaging a double double in college which is where my comment came from. If anything that shows you how tough it is for a guy of that stature to translate to the NBA game.

Keep comparing Cook to Doug McDermott though. If a top 5 scorer in college basketball history can make the NBA then Cook's gone. Derpity Derp Derp.

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I stand corrected

 

[HerkysDad]

Since when did the NBA become a basketball camp for those in need of further development? I thought that was what college basketball was all about.

 

[tedboy78]

I thought we were throwing out non-sensical NBA player comparisons for Cook, is that not what we were doing?

I thought the same thing. McDermott was the ncaa Player of the Year and an incredibly polished inside/ out player in college.