Source 1 – Marc J. Spears, ESPN:

Two-time NBA champion Quinn Cook has lost two basketball jobs internationally this year because of global political issues connected to his native United States, he told ESPN’s Andscape on Wednesday.

Cook recently agreed to terms to play for Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club (APR BBC) in the upcoming 2026 Basketball Africa League season. However, the five-year NBA veteran guard said he was told Tuesday that APR BBC opted not to play in the BAL because of a political standoff involving the United States and Rwanda.

Cook, 32, also agreed to contract terms in early January to play in Iran, but he opted not to go because of fear of a war between the United States and Iran that is now taking place.

“My whole life, until now, I’ve never had basketball stop for political things that happened in the world,” Cook told Andscape in a phone interview. “It’s a first for me, but it opens your eyes that there is more to life than just basketball. People who depend on basketball for happiness and a job, you have to understand that there are bigger things in life.

ImRBJ | Bulls

269 | 5 hours ago

Rwanda and Iran back to back are certainly some choices

stock-prince-WK | East

76 | 4 hours ago

🤣🤣lol dude dying for work

BussinInUrSister

6 | 2 hours ago

lock in

Torkzilla

21 | 4 hours ago

No kidding. I’m shocked any American would work in either place without some kind of international diplomatic position.

cgio0 | Lakers

7 | 2 hours ago

Honestly, I would love a full write up of how much players get in some of the more obscure leagues

Like the top teams in Greece, Spain and China all pay well

Puerto Rico was getting a few way past their prime guys like Boogie Cousins and Javale Mcgee when I looked it up it looked like they were getting like 10k a month maybe on the high end

BussinInUrSister

6 | 2 hours ago

because Puerto Rico got baddies

betweenfriends | Lakers

2 | an hour ago

There’s an interesting vice vid of Marshall Henderson hooping in Iraq

Round_Bullfrog_8218

1 | 40 minutes ago

Rwanda seems nice just don’t talk about Kagame.

theblackchin | Hawks

1 | 39 minutes ago

I think one of the teams jersey patch “visit Rwanda”, can’t recall which team tho

Torkzilla

1 | 36 minutes ago

Yeah I mean they have to advertise it like that because no one would ever consider going there otherwise. The place is most famous for brutal genocide.

Youre-Dumber-Than-Me

1 | 5 minutes ago

Rwanda is safer than most American cities.

skj458

12 | 4 hours ago

Could he even legally get paid for playing in Iran? I thought the US has had near embargo-level sanctions on Iran prohibiting most economic activity.

Exotic_Pension_9993 | Suns

6 | 2 hours ago

i thought this was an Onion article when i saw the two countries he was talking about playing in. what do you mean Quinn Cook was about to go play basketball in Iran lmaoo

khonsu_27 | Nets

4 | an hour ago

Honestly I’d probably rather play in Iran than Rwanda lmao

thegoodbadandsmoggy | Raptors

2 | an hour ago

Black water must be his agent

STA_Alexfree

0 | an hour ago

I’m sure North Korea has a league he can play in

tallassmike | Warriors

55 | 5 hours ago

Ironically. another Former Warrior Damion Lee is playing for the Israeli Basketball Premier League

Basic-Collection5416 | Pistons

31 | 5 hours ago

That’s Steph’s brother-in-law.

misdreavusval | Mavericks

6 | an hour ago

lol what is even the point of that league existing, how does 1 team win 57 rings

KipchogesBurner | Trail Blazers

5 | an hour ago

Maccabi Tel Aviv is 4th all-time for Euroleague championships. They also have the second most second place finishes.

WakaFlacco

1 | an hour ago

Have you ever watched 8 crazy nights? Jews take their basketball seriously.

Think_Monk_9879

35 | 4 hours ago

Was anybody else shocked Quinn Cook is 32? I thought he would Be like 27

Easy-Tradition-7483 | Celtics

18 | 4 hours ago

We gettin old bruh

OsmosisJonesFanClub | Lakers

4 | 2 hours ago

Jordan Clarkson is going on 34 dawg

Safe_Researcher4979

15 | 3 hours ago

BBC acronym is used for way too many things

iro3 | Spurs

12 | 5 hours ago

Today I learned Lonnie plays in thr isreal league

Cojo85

7 | 41 minutes ago

This is why I roll my eyes at the “KeEp PoLiTiCs OuT oF [insert any pop culture subject here]” crowd.

Being able to live in that kind of world is a luxury, not the norm. We’re in a time where it’s inescapable for most, if not all, of all the population.

Danibear285 | Clippers

2 | 3 hours ago

Bro said “Imma go to the countries that have beef with nation” 💀

Clear_Lead

8 | 2 hours ago

Which nowadays is pretty much everybody except Israel

d7h7n | Mavericks

1 | 23 minutes ago

I watched Hassan Whiteside halfass in practice for the Shanghai Sharks on a Twitch stream last week and the coaches didn’t give af.

No-Possession-4738 | Cavaliers

2 | 2 hours ago

What’s next, you’re not gonna let him play for the Pyongyang Junche Jumpers????

KennethHaight

1 | 3 hours ago

ferrerorocher26

-1 | 2 hours ago

He thought he was bigger than the program just cuz he was on Golden State

IgnorantGenius | Clippers

-32 | 3 hours ago

Boo hoo my bouncy ball career that wasn’t good enough for the NBA is now not as important as two entire countries relations.

Should have signed to the Clippers unction. Their sponsor is visit Rwanda.

-xXxMangoxXx- | Raptors

4 | an hour ago

My whole life, until now, I’ve never had basketball stop for political things that happened in the world,” Cook told Andscape in a phone interview. “It’s a first for me, but it opens your eyes that there is more to life than just basketball. People who depend on basketball for happiness and a job, you have to understand that there are bigger things in life.

dj_ethical_buckets

-39 | 5 hours ago

The real victim in all of this

ontheru171 | Knicks

38 | 5 hours ago

Like not at all the message behind his words

-xXxMangoxXx- | Raptors

3 | an hour ago

My whole life, until now, I’ve never had basketball stop for political things that happened in the world,” Cook told Andscape in a phone interview. “It’s a first for me, but it opens your eyes that there is more to life than just basketball. People who depend on basketball for happiness and a job, you have to understand that there are bigger things in life.

Quinn Cook says overseas hoops career hurt by global politics