Jackson explained that you can't pop a player's forehead with a magic wand and tell him he's a scorer. At least not every night. "Smush Parker can do that at times," he said. "Brian Cook can do it. Chris Mihm has been very productive, lately."

"It looked like we kind of celebrated a little too early," Cook said. "We just couldn't hit shots at the end. That's what happens."

Cook made a jumper as time expired in the fourth quarter, tying the score at 91-91, sending the game into overtime. "It was a pretty emotional shot," Cook said. "I just wanted to stay with it. It just fell through at the end."

"That's a decision they have to make," said Mark Bartelstein, Cook's agent. "Brian's working hard and is happy with being there. He understands that we just have to wait and see what happens."

"I look at it as a great opportunity," said Cook, who had seven points and seven rebounds in a little over 17 minutes. "It's my third year and I've got some experience and I have come off the bench before. I just try to provide some energy, rebounds and just be a spark."

"A bunch of Illinois fans recognized me right away, and I signed some autographs -- the sixth man is everywhere," said Cook. "It was great seeing all the orange and meeting Illinois people. They're down-home, good-hearted people. That's not to say people in L.A. aren't, but it's more cutthroat and like a business out there."
"I told [Cook] that in the next couple of weeks we were going to try to get this thing done and win for him to finish what he started," Ingram said of the 2003 Big Ten player of the year. "He's a part of the reason we're here. He was the man, the best player on the team. But he always practiced the hardest. He set the example that rubbed off on a lot of the older guys on this team now."
"They've been through it before and know how to approach it better now," Cook said. "They're older. It's their team. They've done all the work and put up with all the hype and handled it. I just wish I could go watch it."
As for Bruce Weber, Cook likes the Illinois coach and plans on getting to know him better this summer when he completes an internship in sports marketing on campus that will allow him to graduate. "I need to finish up," Cook said. "It's important to me."
"I have no control over that," Cook said of his recently inconsistent minutes. "I just go to work."
"Luke's going to have to put on a Brian Cook, No. 34 jersey," Cook said of his bet with Luke walton. "Because we're going all the way."

"We grew up with Brian playing at the high school," Courtwright said of Cook, who went on to star at the University of Illinois and currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. "We sat up there. I know exactly where I sat and we watched him. You just dreamed of this. The spotlight of Lincoln Railer basketball. The tradition."

"It's just another game on the schedule," Cook said about playing Detroit. "We've been changing players, coaches, the whole organization. We're a totally different team."

"Everybody's role is going to change, because everyone has to become that much better. It's not just going to be on me and Caron. It's not just going to be on scoring. Brian Grant's going to have to get an extra rebound. Brian Cook's going to have to hit an extra 3, Chris Mihm block an extra shot, Jumaine Jones get an extra loose ball for us to win games." Lamar Odom on playing with Kobe.

Tomjanovich was asked how he would feel if Cook earned a spot on the sophomore team that will play the rookie team during All-Star weekend in Denver. "That'd be wonderful," Tomjanovich said. "That'd be awesome. That really would. I'd love to see that happen."
"He's been a bright spot for us," Tomjanovich said. "Nobody knew much about him last year. Came in and helped us a lot."

"I've thought about it," said Cook. "I think that's a goal that every first- or second-year player has. It's out of my control, though. All I've got to do is worry about this, what's going on now. But I'd like to go, it'd be great."