TANGERANG (Indonesia) - Chalking up double figures in assists in a single outing already serves as an achievement per se for many, but to actually do it in every given night is without a doubt remarkable.
While it seems impossible to accomplish, DJ Cooper did just that, as he finished as the top dime maker of the recent BCL Asia-East 2026 Group Phase with an eye-popping average of 14.2 across six games.
Per available records, no player in history normed double digits in the said statistical category in any round of any BCL Asia qualifying competition until the 35-year-old came along together with Dewa United Banten.
"That's his best quality; his best ability," lauded head coach Agustin Julbe of his prized guard.
It surely came as a surprise when he ended the preliminaries with such an impressive average, although it was evident right in the very first game of the season how extraordinary of a playmaker he could be.
He's our floor general, the one who makes the best decisions for his teammates; always thinking about the team, and not so much on himself.
The former Ohio Bobcat was instrumental in their 97-77 blowout of Hi-Tech Basketball Club for a triumphant debut, finishing with 19 assists to set the record for most assists by a player in a BCL Asia qualifiers game.
But that proved to be just the tip of the iceberg. He went on to rack up 12 assists alongside 11 points and 8 rebounds in a 91-79 victory over Johor, thus ending the first window with 31 assists under his belt.
And come the next four matches, the Chicago-native would tally at least 13 assists, eventually finishing with the aforementioned average that's left not just the fans but Dewa United themselves singing praises.
Because they feel lucky to have found not just a pass-first PG, but a team-first pro.
"Of course, his teammates get an advantage from this. He's our floor general, the one who makes the best decisions for his teammates; always thinking about the team, and not so much on himself," Julbe said.
With somebody like Cooper, those around him such as spitfire combo guard Rio Disi couldn't feel any more thankful as the veteran internationalist has been making it so easy for him and the rest of the squad.
The former Indonesia men's team member himself has been one the beneficiaries of the one-time FIBA Europe Cup assists leader, and partly the reason why he's averaging 13.2 points on 40.0-percent shooting.
And huge thanks to his floor generalship, Dewa United finished as the no. 1 seed of Group A with a 4-2 record, becoming one of the early entrants to the Final 6 which is set to roll next week in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
"With his vision, we'll just run. And he's gonna find us," Disi said. "He's fun to play with."
The BCL Asia-East 2026 Final 6 is scheduled on May 19-24, with the Indonesian Basketball League outfit situated in Group A with the Southern Tigers and reigning champions Chinggis Broncos. Click here to learn more.
FIBA