LeBron James and Lenny Cooke (Credits- Oregon Live, NY Post)
Lenny Cooke dreamt big to make it into the list of NBA legends, however, his dream was cut short. The s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s that he had, made everyone believe that he was a promising rising star, who would indeed grow up to be among the basketball stars.
However, things didn’t work out the way Cooke aspired for them to. He averaged 30 points and 15 rebounds in his sophomore year at La Salle Academy. Surprisingly, In his final year, he outshined LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, by securing the #1 ranking.
Lenny Cooke (Credits- Slam Magazine, The New York Times)
At the ABCD Camp, he and James were together. Everything seemed in favor of Cooke and his chances to win were high due to his last MVP. However, James stole the spotlight at an important game, and that led to Cooke’s chances into NBA being a doubtful option.
Cooke revealed in an interview that he hated him for two decades because of this, and he did not let go of this until his daughter came. In his own words, “I hated LeBron James for 20 years”. Furthermore, he narrated how his daughter helped him get out of this feeling.
He candidly spoke, “Until my daughter looked at me one day and she saw that cooler with the sprite. The Sprite cooler where you can go in there and get the soda out, and she said you were better than LeBron James. That’s LeBron James right there.”
Cooke’s daughter put a fresh perspective on him and strengthened his belief that he was better than James. The scores indeed say the same thing, and hearing this from his own daughter, surely had Cooke believe it.
Is Lenny Cooke still playing basketball?
Lenny Cooke’s basketball journey was filled with unexpected turns, and the dream that seemed obtainable turned out differently. After his senior year was disrupted because of age restrictions, he had two opposite options to choose from. On one side he could go to college whereas on the other it was to join NBA.
Despite his exceptional potential, Cooke faced the harsh reality of going undrafted in the NBA. He had to start his official basketball journey as a free agent, however, he was determined to embark on this journey. Even though his friends and family suggested otherwise, he was firm about entering the league.
Lenny Cooke was a 6’6 high school basketball player who was nationally ranked higher than LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.However he never made it to NBA😢 pic.twitter.com/1rGTYfMLWF
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) August 30, 2021
This marked the beginning of Cooke’s ventures in multiple leagues as he sought opportunities to prove his worth. Cooke’s journey as a free agent saw him participating in leagues like the NBA Development League, the Rucker Park Summer League, and the United States Basketball League.
Even though he was dedicated and persistent, Cooke’s aspirations of securing an NBA spot remained difficult to track down. Even after competing in the Celtics‘ Summer League in 2003, Cooke’s path to an NBA roster remained unknown.
He continued his basketball journey, exploring diverse playing fields to keep his passion alive. It extended to the Chinese Basketball Association, where he teamed up with the Shanghai Sharks, showcasing his s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s on an international stage.
As of the present, Lenny Cooke’s active playing career has taken a backseat. He has transitioned towards new endeavors such as documentaries, guiding young athletes, and writing about his personal experiences.
