Louisiana forward Cooks heating up

Every year there is a player or two that enjoys a strong AAU season but lays low and stays out of the recruiting limelight. But come fall, he plays well at a national event and the phone begins to ring and ring and ring…

One of those players could be Brandon Cooks this year. The 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward from Genesis One in Mendelhall, Miss., is starting to catch on with recruiters, says his coach Victor Evans.

Cooks, a Thibodaux, La., native, is being recruited by Colorado, Cincinnati and Rhode Island right now, says Evans. A number of other programs are coming out to Genesis One this week to see Cooks and the rest of the Genesis One players. Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU, Florida State, Houston, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Arkansas, Memphis and others are coming in.

The secret may be leaking out on Cooks, especially with good workouts this fall.

"He's a regionally known guy because he was one of the top players in the Louisiana but he never had the national coverage that some other guys get," Evans said. "Then he put up some numbers in the summer and had the experience against some of the best players out there. I think he'll be a hot commodity. I really do. He's been under the radar for a good amount of his career but I think he's going to really break out this year."

Evans is never shy about the talents of any of his players and with Cooks, the head coach is quick to point out the potential.

"Oh my goodness, the kid does everything. He can guard the two, three and four. He's active. He's 6-8 and can run and jump and play with the bigs, guards and wings. If Brandon can correct his jump shot, the sky is the limit."

Because of big front line that includes Claude Britton, a 6-foot-10 center, Malcolm White, a bouncy 6-foot-8 2008 forward and 6-foot-11 Chano Rashiddon, Cooks will have the luxury of developing his small forward skills this season, Evans said.

"We are going to play him at the straight wing because we have some size around him. He gives us a lot of flexibility. I know the colleges are projecting him as a wing. He's versatile enough to do that."