Nikola Jokic admits he was wrong about new teammate

Nikola Jokic apparently had some trepidation about one of his new teammates and whether they might be a disruptive locker room presence. As it turns out, he was wrong about that.

Jokic hinted Sunday that he was a bit nervous about the Denver Nuggets bringing DeMarcus Cousins in on a 10-day contract, as the two were “kind of rivals” in the past. Jokic said, however, that Cousins “proved me wrong” and that the veteran center has a “great personality.”

Nikola Jokic says DeMarcus Cousins can help the Nuggets going forward. Also this: “I love him. Before, we were kind of rivals. He’s actually a really good guy. Fun to be around. Great personality. Can get a little bit crazy when the refs don’t go his way. He proved me wrong.” pic.twitter.com/0X3blmDJMs

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) February 7, 2022

Cousins’ reputation does precede him. He’s known as a combustible personality prone to losing his temper during games. However, most of Cousins’ issues have come with referees and at least one former coach, not with teammates. If anything, Cousins has shown himself to be a pretty great teammate at certain points.

Jokic has had his fair share of spats with referees and opponents. He should probably know not to judge guys based on that alone.

Photo: Apr 28, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports