Is DeMarcus Cousins The Best Big Man In The NBA?
By Deasia Paige
Amidst trade rumors, DeMarcus Cousins continues to shine as an elite center in the league. But the record of his team steers him in the wrong direction.
Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley are all considered all-time great big men in the league. DeMarcus Cousins is well on his way to making that list. His explosiveness in the paint and overall attitude toward the game prove it.
In a February game against the Denver Nuggets last season, Cousins completed a pass from Rudy Gay and went in for the crossover-dunk over Nlkola Jokic. Cousins ended the night with 39 points.
That dunk characterized Cousins’ explosiveness when he goes to the paint, which is something that is not often witnessed from other big men in the league. Averaging a career-high of 26.9 points along with 11.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, Cousins is unstoppable in following the path to greatness.
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No other big man in the NBA is as dominant as he is. The only one that comes close is Anthony Davis, who is often described as the league’s next great big man.
But Cousins exudes the passion, energy, and aggressiveness to steal that claim. He has the confidence, too. “In my mind, it’s not even close between me and the next big man. I would say the next is AD [Anthony Davis], but it’s not close in my mind,” said Cousins in an interview with Tzvi Twersky of SLAM magazine. Cousins is clearly ready to dominate the NBA.
The Sacramento Kings, however, have not been ready. And that is something that prevents Cousins from being considered on the same pedestal as Davis. The Kings have not made the postseason since 2006, which is years prior to Cousins’ arrival to the team.
Not only does Cousins not have playoff experience (unlike Anthony Davis), he has also not had the proper guidance in his career. The Kings had five different coaches in the seven years Cousins has played in the league. That is another aspect that Davis has not experienced, which is why Cousins is overshadowed by Davis’ success.
Davis, who has made it to the playoffs and is arguably more versatile, does have the same skill set as Cousins. Cousins is an overall better defender and playmaker, which sets him apart from others. His skill set is often overlooked because of the poor performance of his team.
Cousins is aware of this “importance of winning” in the league. When a player becomes a winner, their namesake is cemented with positivity and the harsh criticism begins to fade. “Winning covers up anything. If KG [Kevin Garnett] was always losing and was the same person, they would think he was the worst guy ever. That’s basically the situation I’m in”, said Cousins in the interview.
Cousins later mentioned how winning is his focus and main priority. He also mentioned how Sacramento was his home and he intends to stay (which is why the trade rumor for him to go to the Cavaliers in exchange for Kevin Love doesn’t make sense).
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But winning is Sacramento does not seem likely. There is not a lot of help on the team for Cousins to further his status as an elite big man. However, Cousins has the confidence to get it done there.