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The Kings have signed forward JaKarr Sampson and forward Jack Cooley to two-way contracts.
Sampson, a 6-9, 207-pound forward and 2017 NBA G-League Western Conference All-Star joins the Kings as a two-way player after spending last season with the Iowa Energy, where he accrued averages of 15.1 points (.489 FG%, .287 3pt%, .688 FT%), 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 25.7 minutes in 47 games (22 starts).
Sampson recently appeared with the Kings NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas, posting 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in four contests, including nine points, seven rebounds, and one assist in 23 minutes versus Milwaukee (7/12/17).
Undrafted after two noteworthy seasons at St. John’s, Sampson earned 2013 Big East Rookie of the Year honors after logging 14.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks in 33 contests. The Ohio native signed with Philadelphia after his sophomore season, playing for both the 76ers and their G-League affiliate, Delaware 76ers until 2016. Sampson posted 5.2 points (.422 FG%, .670 FT%), 2.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists as an NBA rookie in 2014-15, appearing in 74 games (started 32). He accrued similar averages with the Denver Nuggets during his most recent NBA stint in 2015-16 prior to an All-Star caliber campaign in the G-League last season.
Cooley joins the Kings after a productive tournament during the 2017 NBA Las Vegas Summer League in Las Vegas, where the 6-10, 274-pound forward registered 9.2 points (.640 FG%, 1-1 3pt, .619 FT%), 6.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 17 minutes in five games. He posted two double-doubles, highlighted by 11 points (4-5 FG, 3-5 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and a block against Phoenix (7/7/17) and 13 points (4-8 FG, 1-4 3pt, 4-8 FT), a game-high 11 rebounds, two steals and one block versus the Suns (7/14/17). The 2017 Summer League marked Cooley’s fourth consecutive year competing in the event.
A former Notre Dame standout, Cooley spent last season with German club MHP Risen Ludwigsburg, accruing averages of 13.0 points (.569 FG%, 1-1 3pt, .697 FT%) and 6.8 rebounds per game in 37 contests, pacing the team in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage.
Undrafted in 2013 after four years in South Bend, Cooley averaged 13.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest his senior season, earning First-Team All Big East accolades en route to helping the Fighting Irish reach the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in his collegiate career. He went on to play in both the Orlando and Las Vegas Summer Leagues before signing with Trabzonspor of the Turkish League for the 2013-14 campaign.
