Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is a player with the physical tools needed to become a star in the NBA, but he has yet to take significant strides in his third season as a pro. In fact, his numbers are down from last season and he says his mind is not in the right place.
In a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Cousins scored only 8 points on 3-for-9 shooting and grabbed 8 rebounds. He has been in foul trouble numerous times this season and was ejected from a game last week. So what’s the problem? The big man doesn’t really know.
“I’ve been terrible,” Cousins told The Sacramento Bee. “We’re losing. I don’t feel like I made improvements from last year. I really don’t have any confidence at all. I’m just trying to think my way through it, but right now, I’m not finding anything.”
The good news is Cousins is only 22 years old. The bad news is Sacramento is losing a lot of games — again — and Cousins has not shown he is capable of overcoming adversity. Instead, he has needed a personal babysitter and displayed a tendency to feel sorry for himself. Until he can consistently play with confidence and try to establish himself as the leader of a poor team, I’m not sure Cousins can sustain any type of success at the NBA level.
H/T Pro Basketball Talk
Photo credit: Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE
