There's a common saying that sport and politics should never mix, but that's simply not the case in today's current climate as former Golden State Warriors guard Quinn Cook has brutally found out.
Cook has been plying his trade in different places since departing the NBA in the 2020-21 season, yet has recently lost multiple playing opportunities overseas due to political reasons.
Quinn Cook is losing playing opportunity due to political reasons
Speaking recently to Andscape's Marc J. Spears, Cook confirmed that he'd signed to play for a team in the Basketball Africa League, only to be told that team was withdrawing due to political issues between the United States and Rwanda.
It comes after the 32-year-old agreed to terms with a team in Iran in January, yet Cook pulled out in what's now proven a wise decision given the current conflict taking place in the Middle East.
"My whole life, until now, I've never had basketball stop for political things that happened in the world. It's a first for me, but it opens your eyes that there is more to life than just basketball. People who depend on basketball for happiness and a job, you have to understand that there are bigger things in life," Cook said.
Cook has already played in Russia, Puerto Rico, China, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia during his long-winding career, and it's unfortunate that further opportunities have been limited by issues well beyond his control.
Quinn Cook's NBA career never took off after a promising start
After short stints with the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans, Cook joined the Warriors on a two-way contract ahead of the 2017-18 season. He made a surprise impact late in the second-half of the regular season, including making 18 starts while Stephen Curry was sidelined by injury.
That 2017-18 regular season would remain the best of Cook's career from a numbers standpoint, having averaged 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists on a highly efficient 48.4% shooting from the floor and 44.2% from 3-point range.
Cook had his two-way contract converted to the main roster, allowing him to average 10.3 minutes in 17 playoff games as Golden State rolled to their second-straight championship. The 6'2" guard would make 74 appearances the following season where he would again shoot above 40% from 3-point range, before playing big minutes for the Warriors during the 2019 Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Cook would depart the Warriors for the Lakers in the 2019 offseason, but played just 44 games the following season, and only 23 combined games beyond that as a promising NBA career ended after five years.