What is Oklahoma getting in four-star Kaden Cooper?

Four-star Kaden Cooper became the second commitment in the 2023 class for Porter Moser and the Oklahoma Sooners. The 6-foot-5 wing from Atlanta (GA) The Skills Factory, is the 2023 On3 150 No. 40 player.

Cooper’s recruitment exploded this summer, adding over 30 offers playing with Team Trae Young on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit. He averaged 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.

Cooper’s game

First and foremost, Kaden Cooper is an explosive athlete. He has long arms and a projectable frame with broad shoulders that should continue to add good weight. He is built like an NFL wide-reciever.

Cooper’s explosion is where a lot of his production comes from. He is a quick twitch on-the-ball defender, able to slide his feet with players in the open floor. Right now, he is a better off-ball defender. Cooper is aggressive in the passing lanes, hunting errant passes to get out in transition and run in the open floor.

Synergy says that when Cooper’s team was playing in man-to-man sets, Cooper’s primary defensive target shot 32.1 percent from the field. His man only scored 0.640 points per possession.

Offensively is where his game showed the most expansion. Even during his high school year, Cooper was an athlete. Attacking the rim in straight lines, finishing on dunks, both in transition and the half court. During the Adidas 3SSB Circuit finals, Cooper shot 36.4 percent from three on 2.8 attempts per game.

While 60.0 percent of his shots still came in transition, where he scored 1.00 points per possession, his ability as a spot shooter greatly expanded him as an offensive threat. This also is the cause for his explosion in recruitment.

Projecting Cooper

Kaden Cooper is already a top-tier athlete. He has a great frame, one that should continue adding good weight once in a college program. There is upside as a defender, both on and off the ball.

Cooper’s expansion on the offensive end takes his projection to a new level. If he can consistently shoot the ball at the same clip he ended the summer, that opens up doors he has not seen before. A quick look at a recent player like Ochai Agbaji, who came into college as a 6-foot-5 athlete and developed into a serviceable shooter, could be an archetype to pay attention to for Cooper.

Cooper’s continued development will be key with his possible outcomes, but there is a fancy canvas there to paint on.

Oklahoma’s class

Cooper’s commitment gives Oklahoma the No. 28 class in the 2023 recruiting cycle. The Sooners now have the No. 5 ranked class in the Big-12.