Kaden Cooper

Cooper is a long and athletic wing with broad shoulders and a cut-up frame that pops at first glance. He’s extremely long, an explosive leaper, and powerful throughout his lower body and core. He’s a threat to make big plays in transition and the type of explosive finishes that can immediately change the momentum of the game. He takes pride in the defensive end of the floor and has a chance to become one of the best overall defenders in the national class. His skill-set is a work in progress, but trending in the right direction. He shot only 29% from behind the three-point line in Adidas play, but has some long-term shooting potential as evidenced by his 73% at the free-throw line. Mechanically, he shoots an easy ball with just a little bit of a natural fade and left shoulder dip, that can impact his balance into his release. His handle is tight enough to make some combination moves at times, but his ability to put that together with a tough finish and overall ball security (34 assists vs. 50 turnovers) needs to keep improving. Finally, he must ensure that his motor is always running at full throttle in order to maximize his physical gifts, regardless of the stage or stakes of any specific game. Ultimately, while Cooper is older for his grade (he turned 18 in May), he’s nonetheless a prospect who has clear untapped potential and high long-term ceiling if he can continue to trend along the same path he established this year.