Portland natives Jackson Shelstad, Mookie Cook carry friendship into NCAA Tournament

Editor’s note: This story was shot in July, but due to Mookie Cook being injured for nearly all of Oregon’s games this year, KOIN 6 had elected not to air this story. However, with the team headed into the NCAA Tournament, we decided to give viewers a look into the duo’s long-standing friendship.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- One question into the interview and Jackson Shelstad is already looking quizzically at the roof of the Ducks’ practice court.

There’s a reason why he has to go back into his proverbial record books.

“I definitely remember in third grade playing at Jefferson together that one tournament,” chimed in Mookie Cook of the duo’s first memory of each other. “That was like the first time we ever played together.”

“I think we just killed every team in the tournament,” said Shelstad.

“Yeah, you could tell we were going to be the two,” retorted Cook.

Ain’t that the truth.

Cook, who played at Jefferson High for two years before playing his final two years at Compass Prep in Arizona, was named a McDonald’s High School All-American last year. Meanwhile, Shelstad during the same season was named Oregon’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

When the duo wasn’t playing for their respective high school teams, they were playing AAU ball together for the Oakland Soldiers.

“We’re like brothers off and on the court,” said Shelstad. “We know each other so well. We can always count on each other. On the court, we just know where each other are going to be because we’ve been playing together for so long. It just makes the game so much easier really.”

Unfortunately, fans haven’t been able to see that ease this season due to Cook being injured for the vast majority of the season.

Regardless, both Shelstad and Cook knew very early on that going to Oregon was not only the best choice for them individually, but also together.

“When he got the offer, we kind of just both knew that we wanted to stay home, you know what I mean?” said Cook. “Not many people can say they got a full ride to college, and now to be able to say that I’m with one of my closest friends going to college together? It’s just honestly a blessing.”

“We’d both been playing together for so long and putting on for Oregon since we were young,” said Shelstad. “It felt so natural to play together here. I can’t even imagine not being here. Playing somewhere else without him. It just feels like the right fit.”

When this story was shot before the season started, the duo hoped that their right fit would help lead Oregon back to the place they are right now: The NCAA Tournament.

“Hopefully we can kind of turn things around a little bit. Get it back to where this program used to be,” said Shelstad. “Hopefully the culture and the fans and everybody come out and have fun watching us play this year.”

You can catch 11-seeded Oregon playing 6-seed South Carolina in the NCAA tournament at 1 p.m. on Thursday on TNT. The Ducks right now are a trendy upset pick.