HBCU alum makes statement against former team in Summer League

Former Winston-Salem State standout Javonte Cook delivered one of his strongest performances of the NBA Summer League on Sunday, helping the Phoenix Suns edge his former team, the Portland Trail Blazers, 81-79. Cook finished with 21 points, shooting 7-for-12 from the field and knocking down five 3-pointers as he continued to make his case for a roster spot with Phoenix. The performance carried added significance, as Cook was facing the organization that waived him earlier this year.

Cook’s latest Summer League showing is another stop in a basketball journey that began at the HBCU level. After previous stops at USC Aiken and Mars Hill, Cook blossomed into one of the CIAA’s top guards at Winston-Salem State. During the 2021-22 season, he averaged 17.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 40% from 3-point range.

One of the defining moments of his Rams career came during the CIAA Tournament, when he poured in a season-high 31 points to lead Winston-Salem State to a convincing victory. Cook turned professional following his collegiate career, signing with the Iowa Wolves for the 2022-23 season before earning a spot with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ NBA Summer League team in 2023.

He later joined the Oklahoma City Thunder before ultimately landing with the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G League. Cook received his first NBA opportunity during the 2025-26 season when he signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 20, 2025. He appeared in 19 games before Portland waived him in March 2026.

Now with the Suns’ Summer League squad, Javonte Cook is once again trying to earn his way back onto an NBA roster.

The post HBCU alum makes statement against former team in Summer League appeared first on ClutchPoints.