Sharife Cooper

Sharife Cooper's Biography

Sharife Omar Cooper is a professional basketball player, born on June 11th, 2001, in Newark, New Jersey. Cooper currently plays for the Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi team, part of the Basketball Super League (BSL). Cooper’s journey in basketball started early and has been excellent throughout his career so far. Cooper and his family moved to the Atlanta area when he was around six years old.

While attending McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia, Cooper began to show his prowess in basketball. During his freshman season in the 2016–17 scholastic year, Cooper led the team (“the Indians”) to a 29-1 record and a major appearance in the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class 7A state semifinals. Cooper served an average of 16 points and 4.4 assists per game during that season. The subsequent year was not much different as Cooper led the team to a state quarterfinals appearance with an impressive 26-3 record.

One of Cooper’s most notable performances occurred in December 2017 at the City of Palms Classic where he had a staggering 42-point performance against Jahvon Quinerly and the well-respected Hudson Catholic Regional High School. Cooper sealed the victory for his side with a game-winning buzzer beater in a thrilling 83-81 overtime victory.

Cooper continued his dazzling high school career by leading his team to an unbeaten 32–0 record and securing their first-ever state title in 2018-19. In this year, Cooper’s performance was exceptional and immaculate. He served an average of 27.2 points, 8.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.3 steals per game, and superbly led the team to a victory against Meadowcreek in the decisive state title game, contributing 20 points and four key assists. His stellar performance earned him most valuable player (MVP) honors at multiple tournaments, such as the City of Palms Classic and Tournament of Champions. After this season, numerous accolades flowed in honor of Cooper’s magnificent display, including being named USA Today All-USA Player of the Year, MaxPreps National Player of the Year, Mr. Georgia Basketball, and Georgia’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

A five-star recruit, Cooper became the highest-ranked recruit and the second five-star recruit in Auburn program history when he committed to play college basketball for Auburn University in September 2019. Unfortunately, Cooper could not play the first 12 games of his debut season at Auburn due to an NCAA investigation into his eligibility. Despite the setback, Cooper returned in spectacular fashion. In his debut game in January 2021, he posted 26 points, nine assists, and four rebounds, although it ended in a narrow loss to Alabama. During his short college stint, he averaged 20.2 points, 8.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game over 12 appearances, earning Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team honors. He later declared for the 2021 NBA draft, relinquishing his remaining college eligibility.

In the 2021 NBA draft, Cooper was chosen in the second round with the 48th pick by the Atlanta Hawks. He then signed a two-way contract with the Hawks, spending time both with the Hawks and their NBA G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks. Cooper played for the Hawks in the 2021 NBA Summer League and debuted with 11 points on 5–11 shooting and six assists in 28 minutes. Though Cooper had zero points against the Dallas Mavericks in his Hawks’ season opener, he continually proved he was a valuable player. Cooper also appeared on the Hawks’ 2022 NBA Summer League roster.

In July 2022, Cooper re-signed with the Hawks on another two-way deal but was waived three days later. Shortly after, he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers but was waived again after less than a month. By October, Cooper had joined the Cleveland Charge’s training camp roster and was named to the G League’s inaugural Next Up Game for the 2022–23 season.

In 2023, Cooper played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League. Despite being waived by the Cavaliers in October, he rejoined the Charge a week later. In February of the following year, he signed a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers, but never managed to make an appearance.

Cooper’s journey then led him to China in April 2024, where he signed with the Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Cooper played an instrumental role in helping the Flying Leopards secure the 2024 CBA championship.

In September 2024, Cooper made a return to the U.S. to join the Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi of the Basketball Super League (BSL). Throughout his career, Cooper has showcased his unwavering resolve, determination, and exceptional basketball skills. He is considered as one of the most promising stars of the game.

Cooper grew up in a family with a love for basketball as his sisters, Te’a and Mia, both won state titles at McEachern. His sister Te’a went on to play at Tennessee, South Carolina, and Baylor before being drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2020 WNBA draft. His twin brother Omar is also a basketball enthusiast and player. Cooper’s #2 high school jersey number was retired at McEachern where he was honored as the most decorated male basketball player in the school’s history. To this day, Sharife Cooper continues to chase his passion for basketball and strive for greater heights.