Atlanta Hawks two-way player Sharife Cooper seems to be figuring it out
Just a little over a month ago the Atlanta Hawks appeared to have a problem with Sharife Cooper and his fit within the varsity squad and also with their G-League affiliate the College Park Skyhawks.
There was no way that he was going to replace Trae Young in the starting lineup. Then the Hawks traded Cam Reddish away and the second unit start to click meaning that Delon Wright was showing more confidence and leadership, locking him as the second unit’s point guard.
Then, when Cooper went back in the G League the Skyhawks had some tremendous success with Cat Barber running the team. This meant that Cooper was going to have to learn how to play off the ball or come off the bench. The coaching staff tried the bench option once but it did not appear to work.
It is all about fit for Atlanta Hawks two-way player Shaife Cooper.
Cooper has shown plenty of determination over the last month, even collecting a massive triple-double when the Skyhawks were incredibly short-handed. However, when Barber came back to the squad, Cooper again struggled.
However, then in the second Skyhawks win in a row against the Greensboro Swarm, Cooper showed that he could play effectively with Barber. The rookie two-way player collected 21 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in 32 minutes.
Barber had 24 points, nine assists, and five rebounds in 38 minutes which helped the Skyhawks get the win. He used Cooper as a secondary ball-handler and playmaker, with both of them connecting extremely well with Justin Tillman.
The Skyhawks center showed why I am calling for him to get a 10-day contract with the varsity squad collecting 33 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and a block. Langston Galloway chipped in with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists from the bench.
Next. Justin Tillman keeps pushing his case with the Atlanta Hawks. dark
If this core can stay together then the Skyhawks have a good chance of challenging for a low playoff seed, especially when Jalen Johnson comes back from the varsity squad. They are three games behind the Grand Rapids Gold with 12 games to go in the regular season.