Norris Cole

“I still have the ability,” Cole said. “God has still blessed me with the ability. I still have the fire, the hunger and I still feel like I have something to prove, things that I would like to accomplish as a player. That feeling of winning a championship, the mission, the goal, the work to try to get to that point again, that’s what drives me as a competitor. And I want that feeling again.” Cole last played in the NBA during the 2016-17 season and will be 34 years old in October, but he’s hoping a strong showing at the FIBA AmeriCup tournament will get him some attention.

The 29-year-old guard, a first-round pick in 2011, last appeared in the NBA in 2016-17 as a member of the Thunder. After spending last season in Israel with Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Cole will stick around in Europe and move over to Italy. If Cole shows well overseas, he could generate renewed interest from NBA teams down the road.

Cole opened the 2016-17 campaign playing in the Chinese Basketball Association, but following the completion of that season, he ended up joining the Thunder for the final month of their schedule. He took part in just 13 games, posting averages of 3.3 points and 1.1 assists across 9.6 minutes. Once again, Cole struggled to field interest during free agency this offseason and will now head to Maccabi Tel Aviv. That said, there's a chance he ends up coming back to the States following the completion of their season once again, so it wouldn't be surprising if he ultimately attempted to latch on with a contender in February.

After he was signed for the rest of the season earlier in March, Cole was expected to buoy the second unit when Russell Westbrook was resting on the bench, but those hopes haven't materialized. Cole shot just 30 percent from the floor over his first four games with the team, prompting coach Billy Donovan to turn the backup point guard duties over to Semaj Christon. With Cole now being held out of the rotation for three straight games, it appears that Christon has solidified himself as the No. 2 point guard for the time being.