A Daughter’s Slam Dunk: Audi Crooks Pays Off Mom’s Mortgage…
In the heartland of Algona, Iowa, where cornfields stretch like endless courts and Friday nights echo with hoop dreams, Audi Crooks grew up dribbling against destiny. Born December 13, 2004, the 6-foot-3 phenom turned her family’s driveway into a coliseum, battling her mom, Michelle Cook, the all-time scoring queen at Bishop Garrigan High. Michelle, a former star who logged double shifts at a local factory to fund Audi’s AAU travels, skipped meals so her daughter could feast on rebounds and records. “She gave up everything,” Audi later recalled, her voice steady but eyes misty. “Double shifts, no dinners— all for me to chase this ball.”
Fast-forward to December 2025. The No. 10 Iowa State Cyclones, undefeated at 10-0, are riding high on junior center Audi’s unstoppable game. Averaging 27.6 points on 73.2% shooting—second in the nation—she’s shattered school records, dropping 43 in a flu-fueled frenzy against Valparaiso and 40 twice more. Her freshman NCAA debut? 40 points on Maryland, announcing a Cyclone storm. But off the court, Audi’s true MVP move was brewing quietly, fueled by Name, Image, Likeness deals with ClaimDOC and Northwest Bank, netting her an estimated $500,000–$1 million net worth.
It culminated one crisp autumn evening at the Crooks’ modest ranch home, the same one where Michelle’s mortgage loomed like a full-court press. Audi, fresh from a 30-point clinic over Northern Illinois, slipped into the kitchen unannounced. In her hands: a crisp envelope, the paid-off deed. “Mom,” she said, voice cracking like a baseline drive, “I’ve waited my whole life for this. You worked double shifts, skipped meals, gave up everything so I could chase basketball. Now, it’s paid in full—no more worries.”
Michelle, wiping flour from her hands after prepping pot roast, froze. The single mom, who’d raised Audi amid layoffs and lean years, stared at the papers. Overwhelmed, tears breached her defenses. She pulled her daughter into a fierce embrace, the kind that lingers like a game-winning hug. Whispering through sobs, she uttered five words that echoed louder than any buzzer-beater: “You’ve made me proud, baby.”
Audi’s journey isn’t just stats—2,734 high school points, back-to-back state titles, All-Big 12 honors—it’s legacy. She broke her mom’s scoring record at Bishop Garrigan, wears No. 55 for both parents, and founded the Audi Crooks Foundation, delivering 300+ Knock-n-Dash care packages during the government shutdown. “Life flips fast,” Michelle often says. “What you do for others comes back.” For Audi, it returned tenfold: a mother’s freedom, a daughter’s gratitude.
As Iowa State gears up for No. 12 Iowa— the Cy-Hawk clash where Audi faces her fiercest test yet—the story transcends rivalry. It’s a reminder: In a league of global talents, the heartland’s quiet giants win with more than hooks and fades. They win with heart. And on that deed, Audi’s signature sealed the ultimate victory.
