DeMarcusDeMarcus Cousins, the 6-foot-10 center, burst onto the NBA scene in 2010 with his offensive rebounds as a player for the Sacramento Kings. His career, marked by All-Star selections and devastating injuries, has been a rollercoaster of triumphs and setbacks. But as a rookie, he had to face the tough side of many prime players in his time. However, recently he has revealed certain information about a player he played against in his rookie period. What is it?

Recently, Cousins sat down for an interview with “Club 520 Podcast.” When asked about which players he faced during his rookie year, the 34-year-old shed light on his encounter with Kevin Garnett. To everyone’s surprise, he shared a flaw about him. “Nah, I mean towards the end towards the end for KG, he wasn’t really, you know, a bucket-getter. Kg was like a talker,” said Cousins in the podcast while sporting a Dennis Rodman T-shirt, who is another legendary NBA enforcer.

Garnett had his prime during the mid-and early 2000s. The highest point that he had averaged was in the year 2004 with 82 total appearances. He had scored 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in that year, which is a remarkable stat line. However, as mentioned earlier, Cousins joined the NBA with the Sacramento Kings in 2010, which was two years later, and Garnett became a champion. Despite becoming an All-Star that year, Garnett had averaged 14.3 points, which was quite less than his prime years. The power forward was already 34 at that time and was near the later stages of his career. This might be the reason Cousins hasn’t seen Garnett hoop that much during his rookie year and regarded this as his flaw.

However, cousins didn’t stop there. In a twist that reveals the complexities of NBA stardom, he went on to praise Garnett. “He was the ultimate team guy, but you know, he kind of finished; you know, they put the ball in his hands at the end of the game sometimes,” said Cousins during the interview. This seemingly contradictory statement highlights a crucial aspect of leadership in professional sports: the ability to contribute beyond the box score.

Regardless of the specific circumstances, Cousins’ account of Garnett provides a valuable glimpse into the personality of one of the NBA’s most iconic figures. While Garnett wasn’t the one who gave tough competition to Cousins in his rookie year, the Center didn’t spare a second to reveal the names of those who had gone tough on him. Let’s see who they are.

DeMarcus Cousins names other players who have gone tough on him during his rookie year

DeMarcus Cousins, the former All-Star center, recently opened up about the challenges he faced during his rookie year in the NBA. In an interview, Cousins named several players who made his early career particularly tough.

He started by talking about Tim Duncan, the Hall of Famer and five-time NBA champion. The former San Antonio Spurs power forward was known for his “quiet demeanor,” and his physicality and defensive abilities were formidable for any rookie. The former NBA player went on to speak about Zach “Zebo” Randolph and Andrew Bynum. “Andrew Bynum used to f–k me up, bro,” said the 34-year-old. 

Not only this, but Cousins also shared that he had faced Shaquille O’Neal only once in his career, and that too wasn’t memorable as his interaction with Shaq almost broke his back. Cousins’ experiences as a rookie highlight the challenges faced by young players entering the NBA. The league is filled with talented and experienced players who can make it difficult for rookies to find their footing. However, by persevering through these challenges, Cousins was able to establish himself as one of the league’s top centers.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.