Though 6-8 forward Tre Singleton got away — he signed with Northwestern and is already a starter — the Raiders went 2 for 3 by landing big-bodied guards Michael Cooper and PJ Douglas.
While the 6-4 Douglas hasn’t played yet, the 6-3 Cooper has filled a gaping hole at point guard while averaging a team-best 13.5 points. He’s second in assists at 3.0 and tied for second in rebounds at 5.0.
He’s also taken 26 shots, which is 10 more than the next-most attempts.
On some teams, a freshman firing away that much could be a problem. But the Raiders have a team-first culture, and no one seems to care who gets the attention.
“Michael has a great heart. He’s got a lot of humility to him, and he’s very real with his teammates,” second-year coach Clint Sargent said.
That helps, of course. Cooper exhibits a quiet confidence, while avoiding the cockiness can accompany early success.
Credit: Bryant Billing
“To let a younger player come in and assert himself, the environment has to be just right. There has to be trust there with me and the staff, and there absolutely is. And, more importantly, that peer-to-peer influence and affirmation to not only go succeed, but to be with him when he fails — all those things are critical,” Sargent said.
“That’s in place for Michael. I anticipate him only getting better.”
Singleton, who was a top-100 prospect, is considered the highest-ranked recruit in recent history at Northwestern. But Cooper had comparable numbers.
Playing for highly regarded coach Sherron Wilkerson (a former Indiana Hoosier), Singleton averaged 18.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists, while Cooper averaged 18.7 points, 3.8 boards and 2.4 assists.
Keaton Norris, the Raiders’ point guard last season (and for parts of two years before that), had a steady but unspectacular career before transferring to Samford.
Though early raves are always dangerous, Cooper has a sturdy build to withstand physical defense and the quickness to create separation.
“If you put in the work, it’s easy to be confident in yourself. One of the main reasons I picked Wright State is because they put their trust in me early,” Cooper said.
“Coach (Jaaron) Simmons and coach (Travis) Trice do a great job of player development and making sure we’re always in the gym. I feel like my game, my handle, my shot — it’s all getting better day by day.”
The Raiders may not have made contact with Cooper without that team camp, which is why Sargent called the connection “God’s perfect timing.”
He added: “First and foremost, we love coach Wilkerson. The first game they played was on the Nutter Center floor, and you could just tell they had a culture. Our people who were around not only Michael, but PJ, just fell in love with them.
“We always let ‘people decisions’ drive the evaluation as much as we can. Obviously, you have to have basketball confidence and skill, but if you let (character) lead your compass in evaluating guys, you’re going to hit more than you miss. And he’s certainly a hit.”
NEXT GAME
Who: Toledo at Wright State
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 1410-AM, 101.5-FM
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