From a first team all-conference junior season to a standout grassroots season, Cooper Mellican is quietly becoming one of the better 2026 wings in the Chicagoland area. The 6’5” Mellican had his first team all-conference and all-area honorable mention season for St. Charles North High School and then starred for Team M14 during the grassroots season.
“Very well,” Mellican described his grassroots season with Team M14. “Had a great group of guys that battled every game against lots of great competition. We definitely played well together and had a great coach that helped everyone get the opportunity to be their best. I feel that I played very well this season despite dealing with multiple injuries at points during the season.” While he had multiple standout tournaments, this was especially the case in July at the NY2LA Final Chapter tournament. He was one of the top scorers of the entire tournament averaging 20.3 points while shooting 54.1% from the field.
With the growth of his game, Mellican has gotten himself on the radar of colleges from across the nation. Included in this list is Carroll, Colby, Illinois Wesleyan, Knox, Johns Hopkins, Lawrence, Macalester, and Swarthmore.
“Versatile game on both offense and defense,” is how Mellican first described his own game. “I am able to guard multiple positions at a high level, and on offense I am able to play from the perimeter as well as in the paint. I play best attacking gaps getting downhill, running ahead in transition to score fast, and finding open threes.”
Next up for the wing is visits scheduled to Carroll and Knox. Then in his senior season, Mellican is looking to compete for a conference title and make a run in the state playoffs.