Bobcat great gets second crack at NBA summer league

2016 NBA Summer League - Day 3 - Highlights | July 4, 2016

D.J. Cooper left Ohio University basketball fans with a lasting impression as one of the best to ever wear the Green & White.

Cooper is now hoping to make a new first impression on the NBA.

Cooper, a Chicago native, was named to the Washington Wizards 2016 Las Vegas Summer League roster, the franchise announced on Tuesday.

Cooper will be a part of the Wizards 17-player summer league roster headed up by first-year head coach Scott Brooks. Washington was to begin play in the event on Saturday night. Each team is guaranteed at least five games.

The Wizards, after Saturdays opener, will play Atlanta on Sunday and Brooklyn on Tuesday in a pair of 4 p.m. starts. Both games will be broadcast live on NBA TV.

The upcoming stint will be Coopers second run through the NBA summer league. Cooper played in both the Las Vegas and Orlando league in 2013, the same year he exhausted his NCAA eligibility at Ohio.

Hes hoping for better results this time, however.

In 2013, Cooper played in just one game with the Philadelphia 76ers in the Orlando league. He logged 14 minutes and scored six points.

In three games with the Golden State Warriors in the 2013 Las Vegas league, Cooper played just 27 minutes. He was 0-3 from the field, with four rebounds, five assists and six turnovers.

Cooper crafted a legendary career with the Bobcats from 2009-2013. He led the Bobcats to a pair of Mid-American Conference tournament championships, two trips to the NCAA Tournament, a MAC regular-season title and a trip to the National Invitational Tournament.

Hes the only player in NCAA Division I history to notch at least 2,000 career points, 900 assists, 600 rebounds and 300 steals. Cooper finished 12th in NCAA history in career assists with a MAC record 934, and ranked second in conference history with 327 career steals.

Cooper is Ohios all-time leader in assists, steals and games started, and ranks fourth in points (2,075).

Cooper was a 2013 AP All-American honorable Mention and the 2013 MAC Player of the Year. He was also a three-time All-MAC First Team selection.

After his first run in the NBA Summer League, Cooper has spent the three years since bouncing around Europe playing professionally.

Cooper has competed for PAOK of the Greek Basket League (10.2 poings, 6.5 assists per game in 10 games), Yenisey Krasnoyarsk of Russia (11.2 ppg, 9.1 apg, 29 games), Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League (3.6 ppg, 1.7 apg, 7 games), Krasny Oktyabr of Russia (12.3 ppg, 10.9 apg, 9 games), AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League (10.9 ppg, 6.1 apt, 8 games) and AS Monaco Basket of Ligue Nationale de Basket Pro A of France (7.1 ppg, 6.4 apg, 22 games).

While Washington has established John Wall as its point guard of the present and foreseeable future, playing the summer league is a tryout for the entire association.

Im hungry for any opportunity, Cooper said in 2013. I just need a chance to show what I can do. Even if the team Im playing for doesnt take a shot with me, theres 30 other teams there watching during the summer league.

Theyre watching every move you make.

Source: http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ohiouniversity/bobcat-great-gets-second-crack-at-nba-summer-league/article_7b044156-598a-5fd4-9250-3ba3aa394e1a.html