Norman Cook was born on 21st March 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, United Sates where he spent most of his childhood days playing basketball.
Norm attended Chicago Farragut High School but after spending his freshman year there, he moved to Lincoln Community High School in Lincoln, Illinois. He joined the University of Kansas and began playing basketball from 1973 to 1976. While there he was named the Big Eight Conference’s Freshman of the Year in 1974. He had managed to average 11.4 points per game and helped the Kansas Jayhawks reach the NCAA Final Four. He finally left the University of Kansas after his junior season and went on to pursue a higher stature in basket ball by making himself qualified for the 1976 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Boston Celtic on 8th June 1976 in the first round and was the 16th pick. While there, Cook appeared in 27 games for over two seasons. While with the Boston Celtic, Cook performed very well and was highly appreciated by everyone as one of the most valuable player of the 1976 NBA Draft. On 20th October 1977 he was released from the Boston Celtics so on 7th April 1978 he signed as a free agent with the Denver Nuggets. While in Denver Nuggets he finally averaged 2.4 points per game as a Small Forward and ended his NBA career by leaving the Nuggets on 11th April 1978. Overall he did well in his short NBA career.
Cook married sweetheart Joyce Cook and the couple gave birth to a son named Brian Cook. Brian too was a basketball star in Lincoln High as well as the University of Illinois. He is currently a forward for the Orlando Magic. He has played for several NBA teams like his father. The couple never had any reported disputes; they did not get divorced and stayed happily till Cook’s last breath. The entire Cook family would be seen many times in public events.
Not much is known about Cook’s net worth but he did earn a lot in his short NBA career. Cook in the latter ages of his life lived in an apartment in Springfield. He died on 22nd December 2008 at Memorial Medical Centre from what seems to be some kind of mental illness. Many fans and relatives sent their regards to Cook. He was a healthy man who weighed 95 kgs and was 6 feet 8 inches tall and maintained his body even at that age. Cook has not only done well in the NBA League but he won a Gold medal in the Pan American Games 1975 Mexico City for Men’s Basketball. Throughout his NBA career his basketball abilities were much appreciated y many and throughout the rest of his life Cook was recognized as a gentle human being. He is till date remembered by his fans.
by sanjeet, 13 May, 2015
