NBL semi-finals: Illawarra Hawks legend Eric Cooks helping son Xavier star for Sydney Kings in semi-final grudge match
Xavier Cooks grew up hating the Sydney Kings as a big Illawarra Hawks fan – now Cooks is one of the Kings’ key stars.
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It’s the ultimate insult for the Illawarra Hawks, a Hawks junior turned Sydney King benefiting from the insights of his legendary father who played 119 NBL games for the Hawks.
Kings swingman Xavier Cooks will use the wise words of his dad, Illawarra great and ex-coach Eric Cooks, to help bring down his hometown Hawks in the NBL semi-finals.
Cooks junior regularly asks his father for tips, especially about how to excel as an undersized big man.
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The insights will come in handy when the Kings star takes on Illawarra guns like of Duop Reath and Sam Froling on Sunday.
“Dad has taught me more about the mental side of the game,” Cooks told News Corp.
“He isn’t the strongest dude the world and he is built like me, so he always taught me when to pump and when to be physical but also when to use my speed to my advantage.
“For example, Sam Froling is stronger than I am, so my advantage is to try and use my speed in different ways and dad has great ideas.
“He has been around the game for so long and knows the ins and outs of the game and how to attack different match-ups.”
Cooks’ physical similarities to his father has prompted many in hoops circle to hail him, “Little cookie”.
He doesn’t remember dad’s playing career, but he has seen footage dominated by big dunks.
“I think it is a little bit edited if you ask me (laughs),” he said.
“Dad had a similar game style to me – a really energetic hustler who is athletic with gangly arms.
“I wouldn’t tell him this, but he was probably a slightly better dunker than me, but I think I’ve got more of an all-round game.”
Cooks has found childhood memories of attending Illawarra training with his father.
He was a passionate Hawkhead who disliked the Kings, especially when they swooped in to steal Illawarra’s star players.
“Kev Lisch did it, Glen Saville, and a few others and it always hurt to lose those players,” he recalls.
“I personally looked at Sydney as the glamour club because of the resources.
“Wollongong was always seen as the little brother, so it is good to be on the other side of it.”
Cooks witnessed countless Illawarra players leave the Gong for the Harbour City growing up, and he joined the list in 2019.
He was living at home at the time with his father, who was a Hawks assistant coach.
“Yeah, it was pretty awkward in our household,” he grinned.
“I was coming back from injury when I signed with the Kings and I was actually doing my rehab with the Hawks, so it got really awkward.
“I signed with Sydney and within a week I’d been kicked out of home.”
The Illawarra versus Sydney rivalry spans decades and has always been strong, but Cooks feels like the matchup has gone to another level this season.
It’s why the Kings swingman is expecting another tight contest against the Hawks at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday.
“Any playoff game the intensity always steps up a level, but I feel like this Hawks series is going to be something else,” he said.
“I wanted to see the Hawks in a grand final to get a five-game series out of them, but I’m excited for the semis.
“Plus, it is like a five-game series anyway given we’ve played them in two games recently before the finals.
“I think that is good for the fans, too. Both fan bases are so close together, so the rivalry is strong.
“The games between us have also been high, so I’m happy for everybody.”
SEMI-FINAL: GAME 2
SYDNEY KINGS VS ILLAWARRA HAWKS FROM 3PM (AEST) AT QUDOS BANK ARENA AND LIVE ON KAYO
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