Javonte Cooke’s Road to the NBA (Exclusive)

When is it Portland Trail Blazers signed Javonte Cooke before the start of the regular season, becoming only the second active NBA player to play all four years of college basketball at a Division 2 school. The only other current player to play D2 for his entire college career is Brooklyn Nets wing Haywood Highsmith (Wheeling).

Javonte Cook played three seasons at Mars Hill University and one season at Winston-Salem State before going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft.He played in G League and had several NBA Summer League appearances with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat. He also played briefly in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).

He entered the final NBA list only this season through a two-way contract with the Blazers. After spending several years in the G League, Cooke believes his D2 experience helped prepare him for the next part of his journey.

“The craziest thing is I didn’t play high school ball until my junior and senior year at a private school. I didn’t play high school ball. I had to move schools to play my first team organized ball. My whole life has been tough,” Cooke told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “My coming to the G League was like, ‘Oh, this is great. Whereas someone who might come from D1 coming to the G League is like, ‘man, what’s going on, what is this?”

“I’m taking it as it is. I’m just grateful for every chapter I’ve had to go through,” Cook continued. “It got me to where I am now, and it’s going to keep me.”

Javonte Cooke’s NBA journey

Cook’s first foray into the G League came during the 2022-23 season, when he joined the Iowa Wolves as a tryout player. He appeared in 41 games for the Wolves, averaging just over 19 minutes per game. He averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 42.2 percent from the field, 31.9 percent from the 3-point line and 65 percent from the free throw line.

He was called up to the summer league with the Timberwolves that offseason and then brought into training camp. Cooke was one of the team’s final cuts in camp, eventually rejoining Iowa for another season in the G League.

This time, Cooke’s numbers are up in a big way. He averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from the 3-point line.

Cook played parts of two seasons with the Iowa Wolves, and he was picked up by the Oklahoma City Thunder for the training camp ahead of the 2024-25 season. He was cut by the Thunder and would join the Oklahoma City Blue for his third season in the G League.

Now under a two-way contract with the Blazers, Cook is no stranger to the G League. He will split time between the Blazers and their affiliate, the Rip City Remix, this season and is embracing whatever comes his way.

“The G League is tough for sure. I feel like it’s fully prepared me for this next chapter that I’m going to step into in the NBA, whenever that time comes. But it’s tough, late nights, early mornings, commercial flights, all the things that go on with the G League,” Cook said. “It’s more behind the scenes than the pretty stuff that’s on display. If you’re committed, you’ll have a say in it and you’ll grind it out.”

Cook has previously been to NBA training camps with the Timberwolves and Thunder, but this is the first time he has made it through camp and made the team’s final regular season roster. The Blazers actually waived Cook during camp, then re-signed him to a two-way contract right at the start of the season.

He appeared in three preseason games with the Blazers, averaging 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds. The organization saw enough during camp to warrant signing him to a two-way contract, and he was able to pick up quite a few things in terms of what it takes to keep a spot on an NBA roster.

“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here with this organization, how hard and intentional you have to be on every play. I’ve never been so intentional on out-of-bounds plays, out-of-bounds fundamental plays, defensively,” Cook said. “They say we average about seven of those a game. We want to win that stack. I never even thought about it. So it’s the intention behind what we do instead of just doing it. That’s the kind of guy I am. I have to know the reasons behind something.”

What Javonte Cooke brings to the Blazers

When the 2025-26 season began, Cooke started the year with a Rip City Remix. He played in the Remixes’ first four games of the season as part of the G League’s Showcase Cup schedule. In those four games, he posted 20.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from the 3-point line.

Since then, The Blazers recalled Cooke and was with the team to close November. He played three games with the Blazers, and his best game statistically was played on November 19 against the Chicago Bulls. Cook played just over eight minutes and finished with four points, one rebound, one assist and one steal.

Cook is eligible to play up to 50 NBA games this season, and will no doubt be assigned to Rip City at various spots around town. Whenever the Blazers need him, Cook will be ready, confident that he will be able to help the team in more ways than one.

“Some of the same things I bring to Remick, my energy for sure. I feel like (my energy) is contagious. My energy, my shooting and just my defensive ability,” Cooke said. “And if I’m not playing, I’m still a great conversationalist with the guys that are playing, a great motivator. I’m a good fan there. It’s different when you’re grateful to be in a position. You look at it differently and act differently.”