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On Thursday, a report from Scott Dochterman surfaced that had some disappointing news for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He reported that forward Tyler Cook would be declaring for the 2019 NBA Draft. This is big news for the Hawkeyes as the program tries to build off this season’s NCAA Tournament appearance.
Source tells me Iowa forward Tyler Cook will once again declare for the NBA draft but this time he plans to leave the program.
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) April 4, 2019
As I wrote earlier in the week, this probably wasn’t unexpected. Cook had previously declared for the NBA Draft without an agent, but now seemed like the right time to take his shot at the next level. While there might still have been some things for Cook to accomplish at the college level, his stock likely would not have improved much with another year in Iowa City.
During his career with Iowa, Cook played in a total of 93 games, including some key NCAA Tournament games last month. Moreover, he averaged an impressive 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game during last season. Cook’s athleticism always separated him from others. He could play above the rim and was a physical player on the boards.
For Iowa, this figures to be a pretty significant loss. Cook led the team in many usage numbers and played 72.3 percent of the team’s minutes last season. Moreover, he was an absolute beats on the boards, finishing with a 20 percent defensive rebounding rate last year. Fans will have to hope players like Joe Wieskamp can fill in for Cook’s lost contributions.
There’s no telling how Cook will end up doing, but BTPowerhouse will keep you posted as the NBA Draft draws nearer.