Cacok was born in Chicago, Illinois to Harry and Rose Lewis Cacok[1] and grew up in Riverdale, Georgia, playing football as a youth, mainly on the offensive line. He first began playing basketball in eight grade after he fractured his wrist, ending his football season. Cacok admits being terrible at first, but joined his high school varsity team after a seven-inch growth spurt as a sophomore. As a
senior at Alpharetta High School, he averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds per game and led the team to a regional title.[2]
As a freshman at UNC Wilmington, Cacok came off the bench to average 3.3 points per game.[2] Cacok averaged 12.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore and led the nation in field goal percentage (80.0%).[3] He accomplished this extremely high percentage, the highest ever, by mainly shooting within a range of about two feet from the basket and only taking one jump shot all year on the 29–6 Seahawks team.[2] He had 40 blocks and tied for the league lead with 11 double-doubles. He was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the Third Team All-CAA.[3]
After the season, UNC Wilmington lost four starters and coach Kevin Keatts; new coach C. McGrath looked to expand his overall game.[2] In an 87-63 win against Elon in February 2018, Cacok posted 17 points and 21 rebounds. The following matchup, an 88-64 loss to College of Charleston, he had 29 points and 17 rebounds. These two performances earned him CBS Sports Player of the Week honors.[4] As a junior, Cacok led Division I in rebounding with 13.5 per game.[5] He finished eighth in the CAA in scoring with 17.8 points per game and third in field goal percentage with 58.8%. Cacok led the conference with 22 double-doubles, second-most of any player in the country. He was named to the First Team All-CAA.[6] The North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association named Cacok to the First Team All-State.[7]
Coming into his senior season, Cacok was named to the Preseason First Team All-CAA.[8] As a senior, Cacok averaged 15.2 points and 12.3 rebounds per game and led the nation in double-doubles with 22.[9] He was again selected to the First Team All-CAA.[10]
