DeMarcus Cousins’ four year NBA career has been filled with ups and downs but this year will mark the birth of his dominance over the NBA. The center out of Kentucky enters his fifth NBA season and while the Kings will not be in a position to make the playoffs this year, Cousins will be a force to be reckoned with.
Unfortunately, Cousins does not get many headlines or publicity because of his team’s lack of success in the win column and the small market in Sacramento. If you know Cousins more for his mantra as a coach killer, let me enlighten you. The big man turned in 22.7 pts 11.7 rbs and 2.9 ast on .496% shooting with a 26.1 PER. To give you some perspective, Dwight Howard averaged 22.9 pts in his best year as a pro and Marc Gasol’s career best is only 9.3 rbs. Already in just his fourth season the 23 year old statistically outperformed two of the elite centers in the NBA. Looking through the careers of past all-time great centers like Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Moses Malone it becomes apparent that centers typically begin their peak at the age of 25. If this trend follows for Cousins, whose output has steadily increased every year he’s been in the league, then he will begin asserting his dominance down low this year as the best offensive center in the league.
Outside of the numbers DeMarcus Cousins is much more skilled than the average 270 lb center. Unlike any other low post player in the league is his ability to get a rebound and run the fast break, often leading to an easy dunk, as defenders are reluctant to get between him and the hoop. His ball handling and passing make him a lethal weapon on the block and in the open court. His combination of the two led him to be third in assists at the center position on a severely undermanned Kings squad. On the low block he is almost unstoppable. Deft spins and fakes are uncanny coming from a body his size. Cousins utilizes post moves in a way that even the most traditional basketball fan can appreciate. His blend of size and skill makes him impossible to guard consistently with one man, but if you send more at him he easily flicks the ball to guards on the perimeter. The last facet of his game is his jump shot. Cousins’ midrange jumpshot has steadily improved during his career to the point where last year his PPS (points per shot) was above the league average on jumpers at the elbows and free throw line. If he can continue to develop in this area and force defenders to come out on him, he could easily become not only the best offensive center of the next decade, but fall in line as the next historically great post player.
For the Kings to be successful as a basketball team they unquestionably need to improve their supporting cast (most notably by adding three point shooters) but without a doubt they are set up for the future with DeMarcus Cousins down low. Barring injury he should be a perennial All-Star for the next decade, and will without a doubt stake his claim as the best center in the league beginning this year.
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