It's a true shame that some of the younger NBA fans of the present day will grow up without experiencing the greatness that was DeMarcus Cousins during his time with the Sacramento Kings. Cousins checked many of the boxes that we see in the ideal center archetype today, including the ability to shoot from the perimeter, pass at an elite level, and run the floor, even though the Kings weren't able to translate it to much success on the court.
Cousins has been overseas for the last two years following his final NBA stint with the Denver Nuggets in the 2022 season, and recently, the big man stopped by former Atlanta Hawks point guard Jeff Teague's Club 520 podcast, and his answer regarding a potential NBA comeback will disappoint fans hoping to see the big man back on the hardwood in America.
“I’m not going to go out trying to convince these guys anymore. You know what I bring to the floor. It’s been proven. If you really wanted to know who I am, you’d take the time to get to know me instead of listening to somebody else,” said Cousins, per HoopsHype. “I’m past trying to reach out. If an opportunity comes that makes sense, I’ll consider it, but I’m done with the convincing.”
A legendary career
As previously mentioned, one would be hard pressed to find a center with more pure talent than what DeMarcus Cousins possessed in his prime.
During his heyday with the Kings, the big man tortured opposing defenses with his rare combination of bully ball ability, outside shooting touch, and mobility, making him an earlier version of the skillsets we see from players like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid today.
Unfortunately, Cousins played for arguably the worst run organization in the NBA at that time in the Kings, who eventually traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans to team up with Anthony Davis during the 2017-18 season.
While that experiment got off to an interesting start, it didn't last long, as Cousins ultimately went down with an Achilles injury before the playoffs began that year, and was never quite the same player upon his return, which included stops with the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and several other teams.
It seems that the big man has now found peace with the idea of not returning to the NBA, which is a true shame considering the trajectory his career was once on.
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