Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Quinn Cook Focusing on 4 Schools; Dorian Smith to Virginia Tech
As his recruitment heats up, Quinn Cook is focusing on four major schools and has three official visits set.
The Oak Hill (Va.) point guard ranked No. 7 in the Class of 2011 at his position will visit UCLA this coming weekend, Duke Oct. 15 and Villanova Oct. 22. He would also like to visit Kansas but no date has been set.
Asked if he could envision going to any school aside from those four, he said Tuesday, “Not yet.”
As for UCLA, Cook will trip there this weekend along with Memphis wing Adonis Thomas.
“I like them,” he said of UCLA. “Coach [Ben] Howland knows how to put point guards in the NBA and you’re in L.A. You can’t go wrong with UCLA tradition. That’s one of my options as well.”
In terms of Duke, head coach Mike Krzyzewski, associate head coach Steve Wojciechowski and assistant Nate James tripped to Oak Hill Monday to meet with Cook and let him know their intentions.
“They talked to me and watched me do my rehab,” said Cook, who is recovering from a knee cartilage injury and hopes to back for Oak Hill’s season opener Oct. 30.
“Just by coming with three coaches and talking to me for an hour and just the way how serious their tone was, they basically broke down how everything would go . I definitely feel that they really want me to come to Duke.”
Cook will visit the same weekend as Florida guard Austin Rivers, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2011, and Cook said the two are friends and could play together.
“We first started becoming friends at the USA trials,” Cook said. “He was on the Under-18 team and I was on the Under-17 team. Being in the same dorm we definitely started to become friends.
“We really got close at the Elite 24 game [in Venice Beach, Calif.]. Every time he was on the court I was on the court. We definitely have a good chemistry together. When he sees something he’ll tell me and when I see something I’ll tell him.”
Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said Villanova had been heavily pursuing Cook and Cook said, “I think I’m going to Villanova Oct. 22.”
As for Kansas, Cook recently had a home visit with head coach Bill Self but cannot go to “Late Night in the Phog” Oct. 15 because of the Duke visit.
“I don’t know about Kansas,” he said. “I know [Oak Hill teammate] Ben [McLemore’s] going on the 15th. I already told Duke I was going there. I’ve got to find out the date for Kansas.
“One of my best friends, Josh Selby, he goes there. Him being there I could be comfortable if he’s there after one year. My good friend Thomas Robinson goes there. Its’ a good fit.”
Cook said he wasn’t upset about Josiah Turner committing to Arizona, even though he strongly considered the Wildcats.
“Josiah felt comfortable with his decision,” Cook said. “He’s one of my good friends but I’m definitely happy for him.
“Arizona was up there. It’s not that I’m upset. People are committing so I have to make a decision.”
Asked about St. John’s, Cook said he hadn’t heard from them in a while.
“I haven’t talked to coach [Steve] Lavin since I’ve been at school,” he said.
Sources said St. John’s is still recruiting Cook and that the staff hoped to get down and see him soon.
SMITH TO VIRGINIA TECHDorian Smith committed to Seth Greenberg and Virginia Tech on Tuesday, choosing the Hokies over Florida and Old Dominion.
“I liked the personal interest from Seth Greenberg,” the 6-foot-7, 192-pound Smith said by phone “He recruited me himself. I see the program building.”
Smith, out of Portsmouth (Va.) Norcom, is the No. 11 small forward in the nation and No. 37 overall prospect.
“He’s a guy that can play multiple positions,” Norcom coach Leon Goolsby said. “He can score, he can rebound, he can assist. He’s very unselfish. He makes other guys better. He knows how to win.”
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
As his recruitment heats up, Quinn Cook is focusing on four major schools and has three official visits set.
The Oak Hill (Va.) point guard ranked No. 7 in the Class of 2011 at his position will visit UCLA this coming weekend, Duke Oct. 15 and Villanova Oct. 22. He would also like to visit Kansas but no date has been set.
Asked if he could envision going to any school aside from those four, he said Tuesday, “Not yet.”
As for UCLA, Cook will trip there this weekend along with Memphis wing Adonis Thomas.
“I like them,” he said of UCLA. “Coach [Ben] Howland knows how to put point guards in the NBA and you’re in L.A. You can’t go wrong with UCLA tradition. That’s one of my options as well.”
In terms of Duke, head coach Mike Krzyzewski, associate head coach Steve Wojciechowski and assistant Nate James tripped to Oak Hill Monday to meet with Cook and let him know their intentions.
“They talked to me and watched me do my rehab,” said Cook, who is recovering from a knee cartilage injury and hopes to back for Oak Hill’s season opener Oct. 30.
“Just by coming with three coaches and talking to me for an hour and just the way how serious their tone was, they basically broke down how everything would go . I definitely feel that they really want me to come to Duke.”
Cook will visit the same weekend as Florida guard Austin Rivers, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2011, and Cook said the two are friends and could play together.
“We first started becoming friends at the USA trials,” Cook said. “He was on the Under-18 team and I was on the Under-17 team. Being in the same dorm we definitely started to become friends.
“We really got close at the Elite 24 game [in Venice Beach, Calif.]. Every time he was on the court I was on the court. We definitely have a good chemistry together. When he sees something he’ll tell me and when I see something I’ll tell him.”
Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said Villanova had been heavily pursuing Cook and Cook said, “I think I’m going to Villanova Oct. 22.”
As for Kansas, Cook recently had a home visit with head coach Bill Self but cannot go to “Late Night in the Phog” Oct. 15 because of the Duke visit.
“I don’t know about Kansas,” he said. “I know [Oak Hill teammate] Ben [McLemore’s] going on the 15th. I already told Duke I was going there. I’ve got to find out the date for Kansas.
“One of my best friends, Josh Selby, he goes there. Him being there I could be comfortable if he’s there after one year. My good friend Thomas Robinson goes there. Its’ a good fit.”
Cook said he wasn’t upset about Josiah Turner committing to Arizona, even though he strongly considered the Wildcats.
“Josiah felt comfortable with his decision,” Cook said. “He’s one of my good friends but I’m definitely happy for him.
“Arizona was up there. It’s not that I’m upset. People are committing so I have to make a decision.”
Asked about St. John’s, Cook said he hadn’t heard from them in a while.
“I haven’t talked to coach [Steve] Lavin since I’ve been at school,” he said.
Sources said St. John’s is still recruiting Cook and that the staff hoped to get down and see him soon.
SMITH TO VIRGINIA TECH
Dorian Smith committed to Seth Greenberg and Virginia Tech on Tuesday, choosing the Hokies over Florida and Old Dominion.
“I liked the personal interest from Seth Greenberg,” the 6-foot-7, 192-pound Smith said by phone “He recruited me himself. I see the program building.”
Smith, out of Portsmouth (Va.) Norcom, is the No. 11 small forward in the nation and No. 37 overall prospect.
“He’s a guy that can play multiple positions,” Norcom coach Leon Goolsby said. “He can score, he can rebound, he can assist. He’s very unselfish. He makes other guys better. He knows how to win.”
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