Sydney Kings Xavier Cooks and NZ Breakers Parker Jackson-Cartwright during the NBL Photo: Brett Phibbs
Sydney Kings power forward Xavier Cooks has been suspended ahead of the NBL playoffs amid a potential anti-doping violation.
The 29-year-old will miss Thursday's sudden-death play-in game against the Adelaide 36ers after he returned a positive test to a banned substance.
Cooks was named in the All-NBL Second Team on Monday at the NBL awards evening. He was previously named the competition's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 2022-23 season.
He was MVP in the New Zealand NBL with the Wellington Saints in 2022.
Saints player Xavier Cooks during the NZNBL game Nelson Giants June 2022. Photo: Chris Symes
Cooks last played for the Kings on 2 February against the Perth Wildcats and sat out the Kings' last game of the regular season on Friday against the Illawarra Hawks due to "personal leave".
It has now been found that he had potentially violated the Australian National Anti-Doping policy.
"A mandatory provisional suspension (effective immediately) has been imposed on Sydney Kings player Xavier Cooks following notification to him by Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) of an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) and a potential violation of the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy (ANADP)," the NBL said in a statement.
"The matter is now progressing in accordance with the ANADP.
"No further comment will be made by the athlete, NBL, Sydney or BA and we request the privacy of all parties involved be respected."
Cooks had been averaging 15.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game this season.
The New Zealand Breakers missed the play-offs after finishing the season in ninth. The Kings, 36ers, Wildcats, South East Melbourne Phoenix are all vying for the chance to move on and face either the Hawks or Melbourne United in a best-of-three play-off series.
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