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NBA Summer League -- Blue Devils battle it out in Las Vegas By Adeline Deladisma PhilBoxing.com Tue, 21 Jul 2015  LAS VEGAS -- In front of a buzzing Cox Pavilion at the Samsung Las Vegas Summer League, two defending champions faced off against one another. There were no Warriors in sight, but LeBron James was there to represent. The two champs? Former Duke Blue Devils and NCAA champions Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook battled in a matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jones was, ironically enough, drafted by Cleveland at number 24 in the 2015 NBA Draft but was subsequently traded to Minnesota, where he joined number one pick Karl Anthony Towns to form the Wolves' rookie class. Perhaps even more significant, the trade allows Jones the chance to begin his NBA career with his home franchise. Jones is a native of Apple Valley, Minnesota. He led his high school team to three state championships and was Minnesota Mr. Basketball in 2014. In committing to Duke, he would join his friend Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow for what would be a whirlwind freshman year that would include Coach K's 1000th victory, a trip to the Final Four, and winning a National Championship. With their arrival in Durham, Cook was the veteran to the vaunted freshman class at Duke. After playing point guard for three years, Cook played alongside with Jones at the point and served as the captain to the young squad. That leadership would prove critical to the team and their success. Of the four Blue Devils who declared for this year's Draft, Cook was the only senior and the only one who went undrafted. Okafor would go at number 3 to the Philadelphia 76ers and Winslow would be the Miami Heat's first round pick at number 10. Cook had pre-draft workouts with a number of teams, including two with the Oklahoma City Thunder. This would earn him an opportunity to play for the Thunder at the Orlando Summer League. He fared well in Orlando, averaging 10.2 points per game and 4.2 assists per game. Of his experience with the Thunder, Cook said this: "That was a great experience, I thought I played well out there. I learned a lot from their coaching staff." That included pointers from OKC's Kevin Durant, who spent time with the group in Orlando. As soon as he left Florida, Cook was on his way to Las Vegas for the desert installment of Summer League where he would play for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Timberwolves' and Cavs' summer squads met up in the consolation round of the Vegas tournament. While Jones and Cook were going one-on-one, their Duke teammates were sitting out their teams' final scrimmages, their status as lottery picks allowing their colleagues additional game time. The two matched up when they were on the floor together and their combat included Jones hitting a three-pointer over Cook's outstretched hand and Cook repaying the favor on at least one drive to the basket. On playing with his former teammate, Cook noted, "He knows all my moves, I know all his moves. It's fun, man. We were talking all game." 
The Cavs would ultimately prevail, 78-73, in a game that included King James making a shot from his seat on the sidelines and the quirky twist of Summer League rules that allowed Towns to play with 7 (!) fouls. Though Jones' near future seems set in his home state, Cook's is not quite so certain. He is looking forward to a short break before the grind to make the NBA begins again. "I'm going to take a little time off. I've been going since last summer, playing until April, and then getting ready for the Draft and then on into Summer League?. I'm thinking about vacation, giving my body some rest. And after that, I'm thinking NBA. I think I can play in this league and I think I've proved it." For the moment, Cook enjoyed his time with Jones, their Blue Devil bond still tying them together. "I just miss him. It was great seeing him." Click here to view a list of other articles written by Adeline Deladisma.  |
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