Do we still have to play on Thursday, or do we just call it?

Wow that's huge. Hopefully for his sake, he has a good explanation.

I wonder if this has was why he didn't play 'for personal' reasons last round? I'm guessing so?

PEDs or party drugs?

Do recreational drugs fall under the umbrella of ANADP?

Either way watch the Sixers choke this golden opportunity away.

It had better be for PED's cos the team they are playing are no angels when it comes to the party variety.

Considering his up-and-down play and lack of energy on the court for the most part of this season (comparative to his last stint here) if it turns out to be PEDs he probably should look for a new supplier.

Might be the perfect opportunity for the Kings to get out from under the 2 years $2.4 million remaining on his contract?

Oh my, unbelievable, party or recreational it's not what a captain on the money he’s on should be doing. I’m honestly shocked. If correct it’s probably two year suspension or more. Might have to go to tennis, they seem to allow to play on.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer prima donna

If it is in the public domain I assume it's not just a case of a single "A-Sample) irregular result?

It's hard to say based on the (lack of) wording in the NBL release, but to purely speculate I'd imagine missing the Hawks game was probably precautionary while they awaited something a little more definite.

Sebastian, I'll pay that one.

Dunkman, no way will they ban a poster boy for the NBL for 2 years. That would almost end his NBL career. (And would he be allowed to play NBL1 or overseas during any suspension?)

Is it even the NBL's call?

And yes if you're suspended for doping you should be suspended everywhere.

It's not PEDs. Recreational.

If he is found to be using PEDs, that would mean a ban on ALL professional sports in Australia.

I hope he stays in Sydney though.

Assuming the most likely outcome I don't think the NBL would get a say in the matter. I think he'd find a league somewhere where he could play and earn good money though.

Recreational would make sense given the lack of what I'd call match fitness Cooks seems to have 50% of the time.

My my my

The Bradbury is on.

I'm not certain on all the drug laws in sports but I do know the afl and all their might tried covering it up for the bombers and failed. As I said the tennis seems to have allowed the Australian open winner to play under a drug suspicion while he’s appealing. Most sports if you fail a drug test, you don’t play until your results are confirmed. Shana Jack, if I’ve got names correct missed two years of swimming, clearly thought she was innocent and then returned to the Olympics and won gold but had to sit out two years that was reduced from four. As I said I’m only speculating as I don’t know.

Cocaine up to four years off the Web site. Interesting times. He still could be innocent though.

As he's caught during the season, he’d be facing up to a four year suspension, and that’s all competitions, not just in Australia either.

If I was a Kings fan i'd be livid. What an embarassment

The NBL mentioned Basketball Australia in their press release so presumably that ban would extended to all leagues under the FIBA umbrella? I would imagine if it's just a recreational drug as suggested he could probably get the potential ban reduced on appeal.

Lucky it's not PED's or could be a career ending ban. In tennis Simona Halep had the last years of her career ruined by a suspension she maintains she was innocent of.

To be fair cocaine is absolutely rife in the AFL a lot of them use it but most know how not to get caught. Even some of the coaches get in on it with the players.

I'm not condoning it at all just that it's rife in Australian sport so surprised more in basketball haven't been caught up in it. All though there have been some strong whispers over the years.

"If I was a Kings fan i'd be livid. What an embarassment"

This is the mood. Lots of anger in the pretty large Kings group chat I'm in about the fact that this wasn't made known before tickets went on sale.

nine.com.au reporting.
"Sydney Kings star Xavier Cooks has been dealt a provisional suspension due to a failed performance-enhancing drugs test "

Recreational my contact is saying, waiting on second sample, again and I stress it's down the line information, also said kings new before the last game and he’s done. If all is true, I’m actually feeling sorry for him and his family, we all make mistakes and while he was rated to high, still a good player.
Maybe Doolittle can get nbl second team now as a replacement.

"Recreational would make sense given the lack of what I'd call match fitness Cooks seems to have 50% of the time."

That could also be a reason to use banned recovery drugs to (not an accusation, just a comment).

"To be fair cocaine is absolutely rife in the AFL..."

This could just as easily be shortened to "absolutely rife in Australia", more so than any other country I've spent a lot of time in.

Theres no 'to be fair' about any of this. SO many kids look up to NBL players. PED or recreational, to partake when you know you are subject to frequent testing is just idiotic.

Definetly fair to be angry about this being held silent until after ticket sales went up. Smart, but disrespectful to fans if true.

Would you Kings fans actually no want to go to the game if this suspension was known?

You are supporting the team not the habit.

I don't know that it would have meant less tickets sold, it's more how sneaky it's come across.

I think waiting until the NBL awards night was done likely had more to do with when it was released. Imagine how much it would've tarred the night?

Musashi left the chat

I doubt it's recreational

AFL players get numerous strikes. The AFL has basically admitted they don't have any interest in banning players. Club doctors test players, then players fake injuries while they get their drug habit under control, and this is AFL approved.

It must be performance enhancing based on how its escalated on eve of playoffs

I doubt it's recreational

AFL players get numerous strikes. The AFL has basically admitted they don't have any interest in banning players. Club doctors test players, then players fake injuries while they get their drug habit under control, and this is AFL approved.

It must be performance enhancing based on how its escalated on eve of playoffs

But I guess it does depend on the circumstances. If this was a ASADA/WADA random test or something would this kind of escalation be mandatory even if recreational?

But I guess it does depend on the circumstances. If this was a ASADA/WADA random test or something would this kind of escalation be mandatory even if recreational?

I'm really hoping that this is be a sampling error like we’ve seen in some other cases but I haven’t seen that claim come out of the Sydney camp yet. Not a good look for the NBL if one if its highest profile players is banned.

There's a certain member of the ownership group who acts like the wolf of wall street. Test them next.

Ok he probably has made a big mistake. He has to live with the outfall from it

He has kids looking up to him which is bad for the game if he took drugs.

Put him in Cairns or similar lowest salary and daily drug tests. One failed that is it gone.

Athletes have children looking up to them so need to hit hard on drugs

I've said it before, kings have gone backwards since Smith sold the majority of the shares, he had his eye on the game.

Playing for Brian would turn anyone to drugs.
But it does sound PED, could be anything. Hasn't looked like he's bulked up, and I remember him subbing himself out with assistant coach and Brian not noticing in the timeout he wasn't sitting down. So not really enhancing strength or endurance. There's so much crap in all the supplements these days, but everyone is warned they need to know what's going on their body, no excuse not knowing. Obviously held off because of awards night.
Will have to wait to hear a statement from the man himself, either pleading his innocence and awaiting confirmation, else it might be a PR disaster. Normally there's a very quick release about being innocent, so will wait for the next few days. If he's guilty then he's gone for a couple of years.
As for the Adelaide game, I always say they lose the ones they should win and win the ones they should lose. Any news about Adams eye gouging, could be wrong but just a fine with early plea or a game suspension, not sure if it actually meant fine and 1 game for early plea. Be crazy to fight it if only a fine, but pretty piss poor to not get an automatic game for that behaviour. Might actually help Brian not being able to be creative and he can play Oliver and Toohey extended minutes. If only they had a chance to bring in another import.

Adams is playing. Was a 1 game suspension or $1500 fine only (no suspension) for early plea.

Was guilty of eye gouging but said low impact. You don't need high impact to permanently blind someone so sets a dangerous precedent.

Musashi sponsorship the kiss of death for NBL stars?

If Sydney do lose it gives Brian the best excuse ever as to why he failed. Hopefully they let Oliver and Harrell play and not call soft fouls.
Disgraceful Adams decision, I suppose high contact is actually sticking the fingers in the sockets.

Now we know why Adams wasn't suspended.

Interesting but plausible conspiracy theory, PW. I guess Sydney must be allowed to look competitive, given the importance of their market.