D2 HBCU product Javonte Cooke made the most of his first taste of the NBA on Oct. 8. He scored nine points in nine minutes for the Portland Trail Blazers in a preseason matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Golden State won 129–123, but it was a win for Cooke — a rare HBCU and Division II player now standing on basketball’s biggest stage.
Cooke’s journey to the NBA was anything but traditional. The Columbia, South Carolina native began his career at USC Aiken, redshirting during the 2017–18 season before transferring to Mars Hill University, where he averaged 14 points and 5.7 rebounds per game over two seasons. But it was at Winston-Salem State University — a proud HBCU powerhouse in the CIAA — where Javonte Cooke found his stride.
In his lone season with the Rams, Cooke averaged 17.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range. He saved his best for the 2022 CIAA Tournament, dropping a career-high 31 points in the opening round and earning the attention of pro scouts. “It was a huge stepping stone in my career,” he said. “I faced some adversity, but I had some good times there as well. I needed that to be in the position that I’m in.”
After going undrafted, Javonte Cooke signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves and honed his skills in the G League with the Iowa Wolves and Oklahoma City Blue, where he averaged 16.8 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game. His perseverance finally paid off when Portland called.
Now, after years of grinding from a D2 HBCU to the NBA, Javonte Cooke is proving he belongs.