East Carolina guard opts for Pitt, a chance to win
Wednesday, August 03, 2005

By Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



When Mike Cook made his decision to transfer from East Carolina to Pitt, he wasn't much concerned with the bevy of guards coach Jamie Dixon is stockpiling. For Cook, it was all about being a part of a winning program.

Cook, who played for two losing teams at East Carolina in Conference USA, wanted to play for a winner, and the Panthers, who have played in four consecutive NCAA tournaments, fit that description.

"The number of guards they have was not much of a concern," Cook said yesterday from his home in Philadelphia. "I have a lot of confidence in my abilities. I've been through a lot of losing, and [Conference USA] was getting kind of weak. I know at Pitt, we'll win consistently and play in tournaments."

Cook, a 6-foot-4 guard, led East Carolina in scoring last season with 15 points per game. He also averaged four rebounds and three assists per game and shot 37 percent from the field, 31.6 percent from 3-point range.

Why would a player who led his team in scoring leave?

Cook said it was mainly the losing, but, when Bill Herrion was fired and Ricky Stokes was brought in to replace him, he knew it was time for a change.

Cook is a stocky player who can play all three guard positions. After sitting out this season under NCAA transfer rules, he will compete for playing time in a crowded backcourt with Antonio Graves, Ronald Ramon, Keith Benjamin, Levance Fields, Trevor Ferguson and Gilbert Brown, if all of those players remain with the team.

"I haven't really talked to coach about what my role is going to be," Cook said. "The biggest thing he talked to me about was getting other people involved. I'm not really sure what my role will be, but I know I'll be able to fit in."

Cook said he informed Dixon of his decision to come to Pitt a week or two ago but didn't make an official announcement until Monday afternoon. He does not know when he will arrive on campus, but he said he will enroll for the fall semester.



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(Ray Fittipaldo can be reached at rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1230.)

Good luck with him, Panther fans. He is about the most lackadasical "star" you will ever see. I was amazed out how little he hustled in the games I saw him play. He's all about getting his and screw the team, at least with ECU.

"Good luck with him, Panther fans. He is about the most lackadasical "star" you will ever see. I was amazed out how little he hustled in the games I saw him play. He's all about getting his and screw the team, at least with ECU. "


Card Emp..... you hit the nail on the head with that statement. hopefully pitt can get something out of him. i think he has the potential to be a very good player, he just needs a coach that can figure out how to get that out of him.

Mike Cook will never be more than a bench player at Pitt. The reason is that he is not a team player. He showed signs of being a great player while at ECU but the problem is it is all aboutI with him. He takes to many shots and misses many. He is what one might deem a ball hog. Glad this cancer is off the team at East Carolina.

Here is what I know about Mike Cook.
1. He is a big 6'4 220.
2. He is a great one-on-one player, who can get his shot off on anybody.
3. He shot 424 times made 37% and that was 176 shots more times than anyone else.
4. When he played PG he was most effective, because of his size most guards hard trouble staying with him.
5. He needs to improve on defense.
6. Most say he is not a team player, more of a NBA type, one-on-one guy.

RIVER CITY PIRATE Wrote:Mike Cook will never be more than a bench player at Pitt. The reason is that he is not a team player. He showed signs of being a great player while at ECU but the problem is it is all aboutI with him. He takes to many shots and misses many. He is what one might deem a ball hog. Glad this cancer is off the team at East Carolina.

Addition by subtraction pirate. Memphis booted Sean Banks last year - ESPN's National Freshman of the Year - not because he couldn't play basketball, he mmost certainly could, but because Banks had problemss playing team basketball and getting along with teammates. After Banks left Memphis started playing the best basketball it had the entire year.

Good luck -

Well, I don't know if that will apply for ECU. On top of Cook, they also lost Badiane who IMO was far and away their best player. Japhet McNeil will really need to grow up if they hope of anything more than another 1-win season in C-USA.

I hope this young man fits in at Pitt and lives up to his potential....for his sake and Pitt's.

I don't look for Cook to get much playing time with Pitt at all. they are top heavy with guards.

Jim

Mike Cook was a big help to ECU when they played the Cards this past season in Freedom Hall. We played subs half the game and won 92-41. The Cards had 11 players score more than Cook in the game. And that would be b/c Cook's line for the game...

21 minutes, 0-5 FG's, 0 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, and 4 turnovers

Needless to say, I wasn't very impressed.

Cook had a serious attitude problem just the way he carried himself on the court was embarrassing at times. He had talent but I would rather play someone that put the effort there all the time and was a team player.

As far as next year being worse, I think Cook's role would have diminished anyway. We got a transfer from Wake Forrest that was a top 50 player in the nation out of high school. Herrion really wanted the guy out of high school. He pulled a Larry Brown and went so far as to sign his best friend (who turned into a solid player possible All Conference guy next year) and hired his high school coach. He did everything to land him that's how high on him he was. Still he chose Wake over us, but he went to Wake saw he wasn't going to play with Chris Paul and Justin Gray starting so he transferred to ECU so we got him anyway. We have him for 3 years and expect big things.

Badiane will be tougher to replace but we did land a Jr College All American that was one of the best Juco big men in the nation. The wild card I think this year will be a guy that transferred in from LaSalle. David Bell was highly touted out of high school in fact I saw some ranking that had him one spot below Francisco Garcia. He averaged 7 points at LaSalle and I hope a change in senerey will do him well.