AFTER rising to stardom in the NBL over recent years, Sydney Kings forward Xavier Cooks has achieved his dream of landing a spot on an NBA roster.

The 2021/22 Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) and 2022/23 Andrew Gaze Trophy winner has been open about his quest to join the world’s most prestigious league, and that goal was made a reality earlier today.

On Monday morning, it was announced Cooks would be signing with the Washington Wizards in the NBA, on a deal that would take him through to the end of the 2023/24 season.

The forward will join the team at the conclusion of the NBL Championship Series, looking to finish off his hard work with the Kings that has put the team in a winning position.

Cooks entered the 2018 NBA Draft, but was not selected despite winning the 2018 Big South Conference Player of the Year for the Winthrop Eagles (he also became the team’s all-time leading rebounder).

The Ballarat native returned to his home shores of Australia, still with plenty to offer at a high level.

The past four years has seen Cooks explode on the NBL scene, establishing himself as one of the country’s best talents, particularly in the last two seasons. In the Championship Series last year, Cooks led the Kings to victory, and was awarded the Larry Sengstock Medal as the Grand Final Series MVP.

The 27-year-old took his game to the next level in the 2022/23 season, winning the MVP award as he steered the Kings to the top of the table. He averaged 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and four assists per game, but his impact stretched much further than those figures, proving a towering figure on both ends of the court.

He produced highlight after highlight, including a number of thunderous slams across the fixture, a few of which were heard around the world. Cooks became one of the NBL’s biggest names in no time at all, and rumblings of an NBA call-up continued to follow.

The talented forward will join the likes of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma on the Wizards, and should be a complimentary piece on a list stacked with talent. Cooks’ motor and versatility should translate to the NBA, and he looks set to be a valued contributor for Washington in the coming weeks.