It is not your average NRL lock forward who can speak so well about his desire to understand what makes a criminal tick.
The Titans have certainly got a good 'un in the 19-year-old in more ways than one.
The new Titans era under rookie NRL coach Josh Hannay was boosted in pre-season when Bai knocked back Melbourne to extend until the end of 2027, one day after captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui committed his future to the club until at least 2030.
Bai has several Storm links, the most notable being his father Marcus Bai, Â a brilliant winger for Melbourne in the 1999 premiership victory.
Another major influence has been Storm legend Matt Geyer, who was both a teacher and footy coach at Marymount College on the Gold Coast, where Cooper Bai went to school.
Bai said Geyer was a "massive" mentor at a school where he learned the benefits of "having an education first and that footy comes after".
Griffith University and enrolment in a criminology degree was the next step.
"I have an interest in how the brain works around criminals and how they come to do what they do. I feel like that is really interesting," Bai said.
"What are the reasons why they decide to choose a path like that?"
There is a depth to the young man but he also has the discipline to study
"I find the time in my day to get it done and I really like it," he said.
Fa'asuamaleaui was a delighted man when Bai re-signed just after he did.
Both men have credited Hannay's influence.
"When I got back from the Ashes I pulled Cooper aside and said, 'what's going on?' I spoke to him about my situation and where I was at," Fa'asuamaleaui told AAP.
"He vented to me about where his head was at and then we caught up a few times. I guess he was just waiting to see what I was doing in a way.
"A big factor was Josh. Cooper came into this pre-season not knowing what Josh was like. Josh is the man. We all back him and he is why we are here."
Bai has relished training alongside the Titans skipper and valued his support when he was mulling over his future.
"Tino had a couple of chats with me to see how I was travelling with everything," he said.
"Whether I ended up staying or leaving, he was making sure my head was clear."
Bai has adopted his father's "run hard, tackle hard" philosophy but has also been a keen student of elite NRL locks Victor Radley and Isaah Yeo.
"I liked the looks of how tough and smart they play. I try and use that in my game," he said.
"I am hoping to add (ball playing) to my arsenal to bring a bit more versatility and keep asking questions."
He will keep asking questions, resplendent in the green headgear that is a tribute to his mum Heidi.
"When I was about 11 or 12, I got a head knock and mum was thinking that headgear would magically fix it," Bai grinned.
"I went to the shops and bought the green headgear and ever since then I wear it for her because it reminds me of what she has done for me. She is my number one supporter."
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