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Hawkeye fans should know by now to never say never, but a small sigh of relief may be warranted for Iowa hoops fans today. After a whirlwind week of speculation about potential transfers from the Iowa basketball team and the possibility of star player Tyler Cook departing either for another team or the NBA draft, things came to a head after Iowa’s overtime loss to Michigan yesterday.
As we wrote following the game, several members of the Iowa sports media broached the topic with Cook, who seemed non-committal regarding his future. While much of the speculation has been that Cook may test the waters of the NBA draft and potentially lose his amateur status by signing an agent, there have also been numerous rumors of contact with the University of Missouri and a potential transfer to the Tigers.
Today, Cook put an end to those rumors.
I have no desire to transfer to Missouri. I have nothing but love and respect for that program and the people there, but going to Mizzou was never the plan. God Bless
— Tyler Cook (@iamtc5) March 2, 2018
While that doesn’t rule out any number of other schools, it’s probably safe to say Cook won’t be heading to anywhere other than the professional ranks if he departs Iowa. It’s not unwise to feel out NBA Draft possibilities given the chance to solicit feedback without losing eligibility. Hawkeye fans will be waiting with bated breath to see when he makes a decision.
Until then, we’ll wait to see if Mr. Cook has any further insights to share via social media.