Zia Cooke Set to Return to AU Pro Basketball in 2026
After completing her third season in the WNBA, Zia Cooke is returning to Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball this winter following her standout 2024 campaign with the league.
Cooke averaged 15.8 points per game across 12 contests that season, logging 28.6 minutes per outing while shooting 40.2 percent from the field. She added 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and quickly emerged as a reliable scoring option in the backcourt.
She showcased consistent offensive production throughout her AU debut season and continued to grow her profile as a dynamic young guard.
Cooke was selected tenth overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. She appeared in 39 games as a rookie, averaging 4.8 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.8 assists across 14.1 minutes per contest. She played 29 games for the Sparks in 2024 before moving to Seattle for the 2025 season and competing in 26 games. Cooke notched a season-high 10 points against the Valkyries in June.
Her resume also includes international success with Team USA, where she secured two gold medals, leading the U.S. to the 2017 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship and contributing at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup.
Cooke starred at South Carolina, starting all 137 games of her collegiate career and finishing as the eighth-leading scorer in program history with 1,845 points. She was a three-time All-SEC selection, a six-time All-America honoree, and the 2022–23 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year. Cooke reached 1,000 points in just 74 games, played in three Final Fours, and won the 2022 NCAA championship with the Gamecocks.
With another year of WNBA experience under her belt, Cooke will arrive in Nashville with a growing pro resume, poised to make an impact once again.
AU Pro Basketball returns to Nashville, Tennessee, with elite talent and electrifying energy, for its fifth championship season on February 4, 2026, at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Tickets for the upcoming season are available now.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
