Xavier Cooks

The Wizards are signing Sydney Kings forward Xavier Cooks to a deal through the 2023-24 season, his agent told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday.

In his fourth season there, he was the Finals MVP in 2021-22 and the league's MVP in 2022-23. Cooks has played for Chase Buford, a former coach of the year in the NBA G League with Wisconsin who led Sydney to a title last season. Cooks, a 6-foot-8 power forward, is regarded as a switching, versatile defender with excellent passing skills.

Washington reportedly agreed to a deal with the star forward from the reigning NBL champion Sydney Kings on Sunday.

Xavier Cooks will join the Washington Wizards after the Sydney Kings' final game of the NBL championship series against the New Zealand Breakers.

Cooks signed with the Kings in 2019 after playing professionally in Germany and two stints in the NBA Summer League. We thank X for his contribution to our club – he will forever be a King.” His new teammates are fighting for a spot in the play-offs.

Xavier Cooks' journey to the NBA has been a rollercoaster. On its surface, the news of the reigning NBL MVP signing a two-year deal with the Washington Wizards on Monday morning was almost expected; Cooks was the best player on the best team in the ...

"The athletes are a lot closer to my athleticism than here in Australia. "They told me nothing is gonna be given to me; I'm gonna have to earn everything, and that's the way I love it." It was unbelievable to watch," Cooks said. He's 6'8, an elite athlete, and is among the only players in the NBL who can effectively switch one-through-five on the defensive end. He's the fifth player in as many seasons to sign an NBA contract following a stint with the Kings, joining Brian Bowen II, Andrew Bogut, Jae'Sean Tate, and Didi Louzada. Game 5 of the NBL Championship Series, if needed, will take place on March 15 in Sydney. "It's all about longevity for me," Cooks said. The Kings are in the midst of their second straight Championship Series, currently tied at 1-1. With every new obstacle, the idea of being an NBA player seemingly floated further and further away. Being selected in the final Australia Boomers team for the 2019 FIBA World Cup was supposed to be the launching pad, but an injury in training camp forced him out of that campaign. It was another injury, though -- this time to his foot -- that put a stop to what was supposed to be a breakout second season in Sydney. But, the road to earning that contract was far from easy for the 27-year-old.

Newly-minted NBL MVP Xavier Cooks has signed with the Washington Wizards and will become the 11th Australian playing in basketball's premier competition.

Sydney Kings star Xavier Cooks will join the NBA at the conclusion of the NBL Championship Series, agreeing to a two-year deal with the Washington Wizards. * ['We've done nothing': NZ Breakers brace for a Sydney Kings NBL grand final response](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/300822144/weve-done-nothing-nz-breakers-brace-for-a-sydney-kings-nbl-grand-final-response?rm=a) [Undermanned Sydney Kings stun NZ Breakers to level NBL grand final at 1-1](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/300822663/undermanned-sydney-kings-stun-nz-breakers-to-level-nbl-grand-final-at-11?rm=a) Cooks – who played for the Wellington Saints in the New Zealand NBL last year – has been the form player of the NBL this season and was named the competition's MVP after guiding the Kings to a second-straight championship series. Sydney Kings star Xavier Cooks has signed his maiden NBA contract and will join the Washington Wizards at the conclusion of the ongoing NBL championship series.

Woj notes that Cooks, currently playing for the Sydney Kings of Australia's National Basketball League, is the reigning NBL MVP. Cooks is in the midst of an NBL ...

[Twitter link](https://twitter.com/JoshuaBRobbins/status/1632480926671183873)), current 10-day contract signee [Jamaree Bouyea](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bouyeja01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-03-02_bbr) will come off the Wizards’ books by the time the NBL Finals end. Woj notes that Cooks, currently playing for the Sydney Kings of Australia’s National Basketball League, is the reigning NBL MVP. He led the Kings to a title 2022 and was named the NBL Grand Final MVP for his efforts. [Retweet](http://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hoopsrumors.com%2F2023%2F03%2Fwizards-agreeing-to-multi-season-deal-with-xavier-cooks.html&text=Wizards+Agreeing+To+Multi-Season+Deal+With+Xavier...)3 [Share](#)0 [Send via email](#)0 Exact terms of the deal have yet to be divulged. He went undrafted in 2018, and had his first post-NCAA basketball experience with German club s.Oliver Würzburg for the 2018/19 season before joining the Kings the next year.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Wizards are signing Xavier Cooks, a forward for the Syndey Kings of Australia's National Basketball League ...

From what I’ve seen, Cooks appears best suited as a switchable small-ball 5 in the NBA. Cooks, a 6-8 forward, was named MVP of the NBL this season and was Finals MVP last season. Per ESPN’s reporting, Cooks will join the Wizards when the Kings finish competing in the NBL’s Finals. In 30 regular season games this year, Cooks has averaged 15.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, .6 steals, and .6 blocks. The deal is reportedly for the remainder of this season and next season. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Wizards are signing Xavier Cooks, a forward for the Syndey Kings of Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL).