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.
As October gets ready to give way to November, Oak Hill point guard Quinn Cook is still weighing his options.
The top floor general on the board from the Class of 2011, Cook said Tuesday he’s considering Duke, UCLA and Villanova, but had recently heard again from North Carolina coach Roy Williams.
“Coach Roy Williams called me yesterday [Monday],” Cook said by phone. “He just said that he’s going to try and get up here . He wants me to come on a visit. He still hasn’t offered because he’s not sure with Kendall [Marshall] and Larry [Drew].” Marshall is a freshman and Drew a junior.
“Since Kendall committed so early [as a junior], they didn’t know about the situation,” Cook added. “Coach Williams is all about having his players feel comfortable. I think they really want me but they still haven’t offered me so I don’t know.”
As for Villanova, Cook said he was supposed to take a visit this coming weekend, but it likely won’t work out.
“No, I was supposed to go this weekend,” he said. “I don’t know if my mom can make it. I don’t think we have any more open weekends [to take visits].”
Oak Hill opens the season Oct. 30, and Cook’s free time is diminishing. Asked if he still might get to Villanova, he said, “Hopefully.”
The Wildcats have pledges from 2011 point guard Tyrone Johnson of Plainfield, N.J., and 2012 floor general Ryan Arcidiacono of Neshaminy, Pa., who committed Monday.
Cook has visited both Duke and UCLA and likes both. He tripped to Duke Oct. 15, along with several recruits, including Duke-bound guard Austin Rivers.
“It was great,” he said. “I had a great time. I was with Austin. My host was Nolan [Smith]. I went to class with Kyrie [Irving]. I know half the players, mostly all of them. I had a chance to connect with the players and really talk to Coach K and his staff and be around the team.”
Cook also visited UCLA in early October, the same weekend Memphis wing Adonis Thomas visited.
“It was great,” he said. “L.A. is L.A. UCLA is a great tradition and Coach [Ben] Howland has definitely kept the tradition up with three Final Four appearances in a row [2006-08]. They had a down year last year.
“His last four point guards are all in the NBA, Jordan Farmar, Darren Collison, Jrue Holiday and Russell Westbrook are all in the NBA.
“I’m great friends with Malcolm Lee. Me and Adonis Thomas. We had a great, great visit. Me and my mom learned a lot out there to make an informed decision.”
Cook said he definitely plans to sign in November, so that leaves two schools he has visited in Duke and UCLA and two he hasn’t in Villanova and North Carolina.
It remains unclear what other visits he will take, if any.
“I don’t have too many free weekends,” he said. “I’m not sure about my schedule as of now.”
In the meantime, he’s looking forward to the start of the season and says his knee is feeling fine. He played 25 minutes in the recent scrimmage with Hargrave Military.
“It’s feeling good,” he said of his knee. “I’m back to playing. Still rehabbing and playing. Just getting my confidence back and my chemistry with the team.”
FREE THROWSRyan Boatright will take an official to UConn this weekend, per the Hartford Courant. Boatright, who decommitted Friday from West Virginia, will attend the West Virginia-UConn football game in East Hartford. Appropriate, huh? Boatright is considering Oklahoma and UNLV as well…Gorgui Dieng has been cleared by the NCAA to play at Louisville effective immediately, per his high school coach, Rob Fulford…South Atlanta High forward Nick Jacobs chose Alabama over Georgia, per the AJC….Former Christ the King and North Carolina standout Derrick Phelps is the new video coordinator under Tom Pecora at Fordham.
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 October gets ready to give way to November, Oak Hill point guard Quinn Cook is still weighing his options.
The top floor general on the board from the Class of 2011, Cook said Tuesday he’s considering Duke, UCLA and Villanova, but had recently heard again from North Carolina coach Roy Williams.
“Coach Roy Williams called me yesterday [Monday],” Cook said by phone. “He just said that he’s going to try and get up here . He wants me to come on a visit. He still hasn’t offered because he’s not sure with Kendall [Marshall] and Larry [Drew].” Marshall is a freshman and Drew a junior.
“Since Kendall committed so early [as a junior], they didn’t know about the situation,” Cook added. “Coach Williams is all about having his players feel comfortable. I think they really want me but they still haven’t offered me so I don’t know.”
As for Villanova, Cook said he was supposed to take a visit this coming weekend, but it likely won’t work out.
“No, I was supposed to go this weekend,” he said. “I don’t know if my mom can make it. I don’t think we have any more open weekends [to take visits].”
Oak Hill opens the season Oct. 30, and Cook’s free time is diminishing. Asked if he still might get to Villanova, he said, “Hopefully.”
The Wildcats have pledges from 2011 point guard Tyrone Johnson of Plainfield, N.J., and 2012 floor general Ryan Arcidiacono of Neshaminy, Pa., who committed Monday.
Cook has visited both Duke and UCLA and likes both. He tripped to Duke Oct. 15, along with several recruits, including Duke-bound guard Austin Rivers.
“It was great,” he said. “I had a great time. I was with Austin. My host was Nolan [Smith]. I went to class with Kyrie [Irving]. I know half the players, mostly all of them. I had a chance to connect with the players and really talk to Coach K and his staff and be around the team.”
Cook also visited UCLA in early October, the same weekend Memphis wing Adonis Thomas visited.
“It was great,” he said. “L.A. is L.A. UCLA is a great tradition and Coach [Ben] Howland has definitely kept the tradition up with three Final Four appearances in a row [2006-08]. They had a down year last year.
“His last four point guards are all in the NBA, Jordan Farmar, Darren Collison, Jrue Holiday and Russell Westbrook are all in the NBA.
“I’m great friends with Malcolm Lee. Me and Adonis Thomas. We had a great, great visit. Me and my mom learned a lot out there to make an informed decision.”
Cook said he definitely plans to sign in November, so that leaves two schools he has visited in Duke and UCLA and two he hasn’t in Villanova and North Carolina.
It remains unclear what other visits he will take, if any.
“I don’t have too many free weekends,” he said. “I’m not sure about my schedule as of now.”
In the meantime, he’s looking forward to the start of the season and says his knee is feeling fine. He played 25 minutes in the recent scrimmage with Hargrave Military.
“It’s feeling good,” he said of his knee. “I’m back to playing. Still rehabbing and playing. Just getting my confidence back and my chemistry with the team.”
FREE THROWS
Ryan Boatright will take an official to UConn this weekend, per the Hartford Courant. Boatright, who decommitted Friday from West Virginia, will attend the West Virginia-UConn football game in East Hartford. Appropriate, huh? Boatright is considering Oklahoma and UNLV as well…Gorgui Dieng has been cleared by the NCAA to play at Louisville effective immediately, per his high school coach, Rob Fulford…South Atlanta High forward Nick Jacobs chose Alabama over Georgia, per the AJC….Former Christ the King and North Carolina standout Derrick Phelps is the new video coordinator under Tom Pecora at Fordham.
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
