BASKETBALLghana.com writer Yaw Adjei-Mintah says Sacramento Kings centre DeMarcus Cousins deserves more respect that he’s getting now.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
My writings, 9 out of 10 times has headlines or titles that on surface value has little correlation to the respective content which accompanies the headings; call them teasers if you wish.
From experience, a little suspense always spices things up and there is nothing spicier than a horror movie; the horror movie genre- one which plays on the effects of suspense is a constant feature in any movie industry.
Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood and Ghana’s own Ghallywood has movies that touch on the genre in archives and rotation. Ghana’s film industry will not be complete without a horror classic like “Kyeiwaa” ditto “karishika” for Nigeria’s.
However, a change in style is never a bad thing to have which is why I have made the switch to a straight forward, self explanatory title at least for this piece.
DeMarcus Cousins- starting Center for the Sacramento Kings- is the cornerstone of a forlorn franchise which has not won more than 27 regular season games for 8 straight seasons and currently sits deep in the cellars of the Western Conference.
For Sacramento fans,- not sure if there are any in Ghana- have been witness to the constant churnings in administration, roster, coaches and more importantly, ownership. Former franchise owners, the Maloof Family’s handling of the team almost left California’s State Capital without a basketball franchise.
Had it not been for the intervention of former Phoenix Suns Point Guard now Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, the Kings would have relocated to Seattle.
Tech man Vivek Ranadive purchased the team and by virtue of his purchase became the NBA’s first Indian born owner but the rotating chair continued as coach Michael Malone was fired mid way through the season, his assistant Tyronne Corbin wasn’t given the top job either and was replaced by veteran coach George Karl in the lead up to this season.
Through the tribulations of the only team he has known in the NBA, DeMarcus has continually brightened the basketball corner he finds himself in.
He has continuously developed- aside his famed bullying opponents into submission in the paint- facets of his game to average 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per NBA.com last season. Despite the impressive stats line, Cousins isn’t widely considered the best big man in the league.
Heck, he needed Kobe Bryant to get injured before he got a call up to his first All-Star game last season. What is most ironic about Cousins situation is how big guys with a throwback style like him are so rare in today’s three point shooting oriented NBA yet he isn’t considered a top-3 frontcourt player and one not help but ask why?
For starters, Cousins’ reputation as a team wrecking, hot headed player has not helped him get the love of fans and coaches alike. His reputation has been built on a well chronicled falling outs with virtually at Sacramento.
In only his second season in the league-2012/2013- he was sent home from the Kings’ home game against then New Orleans Hornets now Pelicans, by head coach Paul Westphal who went on to state that Cousins was “unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team; it cannot be ignored indefinitely.”
On January 5, 2012 just four days after the incident Westphal was fired by the Kings.
The very next season, “Boogie” was back to his devious ways when team management suspended him indefinitely for “unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team.”
The suspension came just over a month after Cousins was slammed with a two game ban by the league for attacking San Antonio Spurs commentator Sean Elliot in a “hostile manner” for making a critical statement towards him.
In 2015, his position with USA Basketball’s World Championship roster came under threat after reports emerged from the team’s camp that coach Mike Kryzewski and his technical team were facing a dilemma deciding between Mason Plumlee and DeMarcus.
Apparently, the underlining factor in all this was Cousins historically chequered past as against Plumlee’s “cool” disciplinary portfolio. Another controversial issue which looked to derail Boogie’s national duty aspirations was the fond relationship between Mike Kryzewski and Mason Plumlee at Duke University.
Luckily the envisioned show down against rivals Spain meant cutting Boogie loose would leave the U.S. short on centers since the Spanish team possessed a powerful frontcourt presence including Serge Ibaka, the Gasol brothers and Sergio Llul.
Just days ago, DeMarcus was on the verge of getting a two game suspension by George Karl for yelling profane words at the veteran coach but escaped punishment to deliver 33 points and nine rebounds in his team’s 101-92 win over Andre Drummond’s Detroit Pistons.
This pushes me to ask just how many players yell profane words at coaches and nothing gets blown out of proportion? Many. But for Boogie, this is the world he has to deal with. Despite solid career numbers of 18.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, Cousins finds himself behind media darling Anthony Davis and current back to back Eastern Conference Player of the Week Andre Drummond in ranking the best big men in the league.
His past reveals a lot of nefarious behaviour but those same issues should be trashed out when serious basketball matters are being discussed when dealing with DeMarcus Cousins because he does take his job as a basketball player seriously.
