Western Kentucky has made 2017 shooting guard Devon Cooper a priority this week during the staff’s time on the road recruiting in Georgia.

WKU assistant coach Chris Shumate watched Cooper, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard from Waggener High School in Louisville, play twice Thursday with the Eric Gordon 16U All-Stars in the adidas Gauntlet Series Finale in Suwanee, Ga.

EG coach Brian Keeton said he has a longstanding relationship with Shumate at his previous stops, including most recently as an assistant at Tennessee.

“Since he’s kind of been there, they’ve kind of picked up with Devon because of our prior relationship,” Keeton said. “There’s always been a good relationship with WKU. Devon would be an important recruit for them.”

Cooper scored 15 points for his AAU squad Thursday morning and another 10 in the evening. He had four points in Eric Gordon’s game Friday.

Keeton said he’s seen Cooper improve over the last year with his basketball IQ and consistency, even if his defense could still get better.

“Devon looks the part, and he’s a big-time two,” Keeton said. “He can really shoot the basketball. He can get to the rim, and he’s starting to figure things out. Last year as a freshman, he was very inconsistent.

“He would be up and down, but he’s really shown that he’s been in the gym and has been working hard.”

Keeton said he lets Cooper play point guard some with his program, but the rising junior clearly projects as a shooting guard at the next level.

He averaged 17.2 points per game as a sophomore at Waggener, shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range on 155 attempts.

WKU first offered Cooper in December. His other offers are Wright State and IUPUI.

Cooper visited Bowling Green a couple of weeks ago to get a better feel for the campus, Keeton said.

“He’s got an opportunity to be a high-major two at a pretty big school if things go right for him,” Keeton said. “But for Devon, it’s going to be right fit, right place. It’s not about the biggest school for him.”

— Zach Greenwell