Xavier Cooks, a forward for the Sydney Kings in the National Basketball League (NBL), has received a suspension due to an alleged doping violation just before the league’s postseason commences.
On Tuesday, Basketball Australia announced that Cooks, who is a former NBL MVP and had a brief stint with the Washington Wizards, received this suspension following the detection of an adverse analytical finding in accordance with the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy.

The timing of the announcement is particularly crucial, as it was made just two days prior to the Kings’ upcoming match against the Adelaide 36ers.
Cooks, who is 29 years old, had previously played in Japan’s B League before making his return to the Kings for this season, where he has been a noteworthy contributor, averaging 15.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

In the wake of this situation, Basketball Australia has indicated that there will be no further comments from Cooks, the NBL, or the Sydney Kings regarding the matter.