Former Cavs And Hawks Guard Sharife Cooper Signs In Turkey

Former Cavaliers and Cleveland Charge point guard Sharife Cooper has signed with Turkish club  Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi, per the RealGM transactions log.

Cooper, 23, is 6-foot-1 and appeared in 45 games with the Charge last season, compiling G League averages of 18.7 points, 

averaging 18.5 points, 7.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals with the Charge. He was a member of Cleveland’s 2023 NBA Summer League championship team and attended training camp with the Cavaliers.

He signed a 10-day contract with the Cavs in February, though he did not appear in a game. He returned to the Charge once that contract expired in early March.

Originally selected by the Hawks with the No. 48 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cooper has appeared in 13 NBA games, all during his rookie year of 2021-22. He was waived by the Hawks at the end of July 2022 and then signed on with the Cavs a few months later.

Cooper played college ball at Auburn and missed the first 12 games of the 2020-21 season due to an NCAA investigation into his eligibility. During that period, he explored professional opportunities. He made his college debut on January 9, 2021, scoring 26 points, along with nine assists and four rebounds, in a 94-90 loss to Alabama. Four days later, he posted a season-high 28 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds in a 95-77 win over Georgia.