Why was wade not playing cook during season?

Idk lemme call him

He just seems in control and smooth. Certainly more than Gaines

Sounded like wade thought gaines had more potential offensively based on practice, and gaines was playing better defense in january/early february

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Sounded like wade thought gaines had more potential offensively based on practice, and gaines was playing better defense in january/early february

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Gaines is very good defensively, but he has some of the worst offensive numbers I've ever seen. Besides the many turnovers, he has shot 21% from the field and 12% from 3. Cook has shot 48% from the field and 50% from 3. He has looked way more comfortable in his recent outings and gives LSU an offensive weapon who can pass and defend. He has a bright future at LSU.

Cook is a baller

Would like to see a lineup with Cook / Smart / Thomas / Days / Leblanc...might be half decent on D for a change

Not playing Cook in the second half made no sense whatsoever.

I wonder who would win in a foot race between Gaines and Cook?

I think that Wade should have been splitting more minutes between Cook and Gaines throughout the season to let one or the other establish themselves as the first combo guard off the bench. If one didn't rise above the other, then play the one who is better on a particular day.

I think that the defense we have been playing was one reason Wade preferred Gaines. Cook is a better one on one man defender, but Gaines is longer and deflects more balls. We also are switching just about everything which favors Gaines (he is taller and less of a mismatch when having to switch onto bigger guards and forwards than Cook).

Cook is a high energy guy and can definitely hold his own out there. The biggest issue with him is he's maybe 5'10 in shoes and even playing tough on defense can get overpowered by taller guys a bit, then on offense he gets a lot of his shots blocked when he goes in.

I like Cook a lot but he comes with limitations he has to play around as well. We switch a ton on defense and if he gets stuck on a tall guard or pray not a forward it's almost an auto bucket inside.

It's easier to switch on defense with 6'3, 6'4 guards than it is a 5'10 guard. I will say one point last night Cook made a great play on what looked like a forward for Vandy with 7+" on Cook easily get him 1 on 1 in mid range and cook's positioning and hands forced him to make a mistake and turn the ball over.