Sports
Men’s Basketball: Dionne Cooper Says Dj Will Remain a Bobcat
By: Matt Archibald
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Ohio point guard Dj Cooper's mother, Dionne Cooper, says her son is staying at Ohio University for his senior year.
"When Dj signed his commitment papers to play college basketball, he signed them with Ohio University," Mrs. Cooper told WOUB on Tuesday night.
When asked if Dj was contemplating transferring, Mrs. Cooper responded, "No. That was never even a conversation."
Cooper's Twitter account caused fans some unrest, but Tuesday's announcement of Jim Christian as Ohio's next head coach appears to have won over the star point guard.
"Dj met with Coach Christian and he is very excited," Mrs. Cooper said.
The point guard responded to a tweet asking him about coach Christian with, "good coach. Knows a lot about basketball & a winner."
Christian said, in Tuesday's press conference, that he met with the players Tuesday morning and also planned for some one-on-one time with any player that wanted it on Wednesday. Mrs. Cooper said her son liked what he's seen so far from his new head coach.
"I haven't spoken personally with coach Christian, but he's got a lot on his plate. Dj told me he addressed the team and (Dj) is 100% committed to Coach Christian."
Mrs. Cooper, who is very close with former head coach John Groce, added there are no ill feelings toward Groce for leaving for Illinois.
"We're sad to see John Groce leave, but we understand the business aspect of the game and we are very happy for him," Mrs. Cooper said. "I spoke with John Groce personally and I wished him well. His decision is not personal at all. He (John Groce) will always be apart of the Cooper family."
And Groce, according to Mrs. Cooper, feels the same way.
"Coach Groce's last words to me were 'we're still a family.'"
Cooper gave the fans potential reasons to panic with some of his comments on Twitter during the coaching search.
Thursday, March 29, after former coach John Groce was announced as Illinois' next basketball coach and the Ohio coaching search commenced, Cooper posted, "All ima say is::::: Don't PiCk the wrong guy!"
Over the next two days, Dj gave his vote of confidence to Ohio assistant coach Dustin Ford, who was thought to be a candidate for the vacant Ohio job. Ford's future with the team is still unknown.
"One tweet today. #coachford," appeared on @djcoop5's timeline on Friday.
Saturday featured three tweets supporting coach Ford.
"#bobcatnation we need @Dustin_Ford as the new coach! He has been in the system just as long!" Cooper tweeted.
"#dustinforheadcoach," and "I gotta feeling #bobcatnation will be playing A year from today. Especially if we get @Dustin_Ford as the new coach" appeared on the timeline later on Saturday.
According to his tweets, Dj was in Houston, Tex. on Monday, which made some fans worry about Cooper's future with the Bobcats.
Cooper told The Athens Messenger's Jason Arkley, "I'm trying to make sure I'm doing everything I can to take care of my own future."
Dj refused to discuss what "looking out for his future" meant according to Arkley.
But Bobcat fans can rest easy. Mrs. Cooper insists Ohio's all-time leader in assists and steals isn't going anywhere.
"Dj is very eager to take the next step in his Ohio University career as we look to the future."