https://uncwsports.com/news/2022/1/12/me...-2022.aspx



Men's Basketball 1/12/2022 3:49:00 PM Joe Browning

Seahawks Retiring Cacok's Jersey On Feb. 19, 2022

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – UNCW men's basketball icon Devontae Cacok takes his place among the school's hoops immortals on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, when the school's all-time leading rebounder and fourth leading scorer has his jersey raised to the rafters of Trask Coliseum.

The 6-7, 240-pound Cacok will be recognized at halftime of the 7 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association contest between the Seahawks and Dukes. He becomes the fifth Seahawk to have his jersey retired, joining John Goldsberry, Brett Blizzard, Bill Mayew and Brian Rowsom as Seahawk luminaries.

"Devontae is so deserving of this honor and we couldn't be more proud of him," said UNCW Head Coach Takayo Siddle. "He's always had a relentless work ethic and strives to get better every time he walks on the court. Devontae brought his best every day as a Seahawk and we're eternally grateful for everything he's done for our program."

Cacok spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and earned a world championship ring with the storied franchise before joining the Brooklyn Nets briefly and landing this season in San Antonio. He has appeared in six games with the Spurs in 2021-22, averaging 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds.

"We're thrilled to honor Devontae and his family," said Jimmy Bass, UNCW's veteran athletic director. "Devontae's many achievements are well documented, but we are prouder of the way he carried himself in the classroom and in the community. What a tremendous example he continues to be for today's Seahawks."

A native of Riverdale, Ga., Cacok saw action in 20 games for the Lakers during the 2020-21 campaign and averaged 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds. The athletic big man shot 58.6 percent from the field and started one contest.

Cacok, 25, also spent extended time with the South Bay Lakers, the G League affiliate of the L.A. Lakers. He appeared in 33 games with two starts and in 2019-20, averaging 19.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He earned All-NBA G League First-Team and NBA G League All-Rookie Team honors.

Cacok moved on to Brooklyn earlier this fall before finding a home in San Antonio. He was claimed off waivers on Oct. 18, 2021, signed a two-way contract with the Spurs and started off the year with the Austin Spurs in the G League before being promoted. Cacok has provided a spark off the bench for Gregg Popovich's club.

During Cacok's storied four-year career with the Seahawks from 2015-19, he was a three-time All-CAA and All-CAA Defensive Team selection as well as a three-time NABC All-District 10 honoree. He appeared in 129 games and ranks first in Seahawk history in career rebounding (1,263 rebounds) and fourth all-time in scoring (1,593 points). He made 97 starts and is one of only three players in the school's history to collect 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Cacok set 21 school records and played in the NABC's Reese's College All-Star Game, 3X3U National Championship and Portsmouth Invitational, topping the 3X3U and Portsmouth events in rebounding.

Cacok became the first player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in three different statistical categories in three separate seasons. He paced all NCAA DI players in field goal percentage in 2016-17 (.800), rebounding in 2017-18 (13.5) and double-doubles in 2018-19 (22).

In his final season with the Seahawks in 2018-19, Cacok recorded 22 double-doubles and scored in double figures 28 times. He also tallied double digits in rebounds in 24 contests en route to averaging a team-best 15.2 points and 12.3 rebounds per game.

Much deserved!

Agreed.

I hope Keith Rendleman gets his retired soon also. A great player on a some bad teams. He stuck with UNCW when he could have walked away and played his senior year without sitting out when UNCW went on academic probation.

But Cacok 1000% deserves to be so honored at a time that works for he and his family.