Daequan Cook
A sweet-shooting guard who won an NBA championship as a rookie and later claimed the Three-Point Contest crown with a pure shooting stroke.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American basketball player·Birthday: April 28·Millennials
Biography
Daequan Cook's professional basketball career was defined by a singular, coveted skill: the ability to shoot the three-ball with effortless range. After a standout single season at Ohio State, where he helped lead the Buckeyes to the NCAA championship game, he entered the 2007 NBA Draft. Traded on draft night to the Miami Heat, he found a niche as a designated floor-spacer. His rookie season culminated in an NBA championship, though his role was limited. Cook's moment in the sun came in 2009 at All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. With a smooth, high-release jumper, he caught fire to win the Three-Point Contest, outdueling more established stars. He carved out a journeyman's career as a specialist, bringing his shooting touch to several teams, including a notable stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, before playing internationally.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Daequan was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daequan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Daequan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NBA Three-Point Contest at the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend.
- Won an NBA championship as a rookie with the Miami Heat in 2006.
- Played in the 2007 NCAA National Championship game as a freshman for Ohio State.
Did You Know?
He was teammates with Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. on the Ohio State team that lost to Florida in the 2007 title game.
He was traded by the Philadelphia 76ers to the Miami Heat on the same night he was drafted.
He led the Big Ten Conference in three-pointers made during his lone college season.
“I just try to come in and knock down shots when my number is called.”
