Reports from Olgun Uluc of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reveal that following his release by the Wizards last month, the forward Xavier Cooks has come to an agreement to join the Chiba Jets in Japan’s top basketball league, the B.League.
An Australian by birth, Cooks has mainly competed for the Sydney Kings in his professional journey after going undrafted from Winthrop in 2018. After aiding the Kings in claiming a National Basketball League championship earlier this year, the 28-year-old signed a four-year contract with the Wizards in March, covering two secured seasons – 2022/23 and ’23/24.
Cooks participated in 10 games towards the end of the previous season with Washington, posting averages of 3.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game. Nevertheless, the team experienced significant restructuring in its front office during the off-season, replacing the management that initially brought Cooks on board.
Amid a congested roster situation this fall, with 17 players possessing guaranteed contracts vying for 15 standard roster spots, Cooks found himself among the players excluded despite his ensured $1,719,864 salary, which he will still receive from Washington.
It is worth noting that Cooks is set to join the Chiba Jets, a team situated in Funabashi, just east of Tokyo. The squad, which includes another former NBA player, D.J. Stephens, has kicked off its season with an 8-6 record in B.League action and has emerged triumphant in all three of its games in the East Asia Super League.
Image Source: Xavier Cooks @ Instagram
