Boogie’s Farewell: DeMarcus Cousins Admits NBA Dream Is Over

DeMarcus Cousins, once one of the most dominant centers in the NBA, has finally come to terms with a harsh reality: his NBA career is likely over. In a recent appearance on Draymond Green’s podcast, Cousins candidly discussed his future in basketball, expressing a resignation to the fact that he may never play in the NBA again.

“I’m not chasing the NBA dream anymore,” Cousins stated. “I’m not going to beg a team to give me a shot. If a team has a need because of injuries, then it might make sense for both sides, and I’d consider it. But I’m done pursuing it.”

This isn’t the first time Cousins has spoken openly about the end of his NBA journey. Just six months ago, in an interview with HoopsHype, he made a similar admission. “Honestly, I’m not thinking about [returning to the NBA] anymore,” he said. “There was a time when I was really pushing to get back, but I’m in a good place now, outside of basketball. Like I said, it’s time for the next step, and I’m excited about my future.”

Cousins last appeared in an NBA game during the 2021-22 season, where he split time between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets. Across 48 games, he averaged 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in just under 15 minutes per game. Despite these respectable numbers, no NBA team has shown interest in signing Cousins since then. His days of NBA stardom, it seems, are behind him.

The Decline of a Superstar

To fully appreciate the weight of Cousins’ recent comments, it’s important to remember just how dominant he was at his peak. During his final season with the Sacramento Kings, Cousins averaged a staggering 27.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. He was one of the most unstoppable forces in the league, a big man who could score from anywhere on the court, rebound like a machine, and even facilitate the offense.

When he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA world buzzed with excitement about the potential of the “Twin Towers” pairing of Cousins and Anthony Davis. In his first full season with the Pelicans, Cousins continued to put up monster numbers: 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game, with shooting splits of 47.0% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. His true shooting percentage of 58.3% was a testament to his efficiency and versatility as a scorer.

But then, tragedy struck. In January 2018, Cousins suffered a torn Achilles tendon, an injury that would change the course of his career. The injury came just months before he was set to hit free agency, and it drastically lowered his market value. No longer the explosive force he once was, Cousins struggled to regain his form.

Cousins recounted that difficult time during his conversation with Green. “After my surgery, I went to Los Angeles to recover. I stayed away from the team because I didn’t want to be a distraction. After a week, the Pelicans were in town for a road game, and [Pelicans GM] Dell Demps came to see me. We talked about my contract, but he didn’t mention any numbers. He just told me that my value had dropped since the injury. I was shocked. I just sat there, feeling devastated.”

The Final Chapters

Following his Achilles injury, Cousins bounced around the league, signing a series of short-term contracts with various teams. In 2019, he joined the Golden State Warriors on a mid-level exception deal, a move that shocked the NBA. At the time, the Warriors were a dynasty in the making, and Cousins’ addition seemed to tilt the balance even further in their favor. But the season didn’t go as planned. The Warriors were plagued by injuries, and Cousins himself struggled to stay healthy, ultimately failing to make the impact many had hoped for.

The following year, Cousins signed a minimum contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, hoping to team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis to chase a championship. But fate intervened once again, as Cousins tore his ACL during a summer workout, sidelining him for the entire season. The Lakers eventually waived him to free up a roster spot, effectively ending his time in Los Angeles before it even began.

In the years that followed, Cousins became a journeyman, playing for four different teams over two seasons. He joined the Houston Rockets and the LA Clippers during the 2020-21 season, and the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets during the 2021-22 campaign. Despite flashes of his former self, Cousins never found a stable home. His style of play, which required the ball in his hands and a high usage rate, was no longer as effective in a league that had increasingly emphasized pace and space.

Defensively, Cousins also struggled. Even before his injuries, he was never known as a strong defender, and the Achilles tear only worsened his mobility. He became a liability on that end of the floor, particularly in a league that had begun to value switchability and versatility more than ever. And then there was the issue of his temperament. Cousins’ fiery personality had always been a double-edged sword. While it fueled his competitive fire, it also led to clashes with teammates and coaches. In Denver, for example, Cousins had a minor altercation with teammate Will Barton, a reminder that his reputation for being difficult to manage hadn’t entirely faded.

Post-NBA Life and New Beginnings

Since his last NBA stint, Cousins hasn’t exactly been sitting idle. He’s continued to play basketball, albeit in lesser-known leagues. Cousins first took his talents to Puerto Rico, where he played in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) league. More recently, he’s been playing in Taiwan’s T1 League, where he helped his team win a championship. This past summer, he signed an extension with the Philippines-based Zamboanga Valientes, keeping him busy through the end of the season.

In addition to his international basketball endeavors, Cousins has been involved in various off-court activities. Last summer, he participated in several commercial events and streetball games in China, reportedly earning $1 million for just 10 days of work. Rumors even circulated that a CBA team had shown interest in signing Cousins, but negotiations fell through due to his high asking price.

Despite his busy schedule, Cousins maintains that he’s in a good place, both mentally and physically. “I’m in a good spot right now,” he said on Green’s podcast. “I don’t need to chase the NBA anymore. But when I say that out loud, it still feels bittersweet. I was one of the best players in the league not too long ago, and now it’s over. I’m only 34, and I see guys like [Paul] George signing max contracts this summer, and it’s tough not to think about what could have been.”

The Legacy of DeMarcus Cousins

As Cousins reflects on his career, it’s clear that he has mixed emotions. On one hand, he’s proud of what he accomplished. At his peak, Cousins was one of the most feared players in the NBA, a big man with the skills of a guard and the heart of a lion. He was a four-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection, and one of the most versatile centers the game has ever seen.

On the other hand, there’s a sense of what might have been. Cousins’ prime was cut short by injuries, and his journey through the NBA was marked by more valleys than peaks in its later years. From 2017 to 2022, he played for seven different teams, never finding the stability he craved. The Achilles injury in 2018 was the turning point, but it wasn’t the only setback. A torn quad in 2019 and the ACL tear in 2020 further derailed his career, making it nearly impossible for him to regain his All-Star form.

Now, as Cousins steps away from the NBA, he leaves behind a complicated legacy. He’ll be remembered as a player who, at his best, was nearly unstoppable, but who never quite reached the heights that his talent suggested he could. His journey is a reminder of the fragility of an NBA career, where even the brightest stars can be dimmed by injuries and misfortune.

As Cousins himself has acknowledged, his time in the NBA is over. But his love for the game remains. Whether he’s playing in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, or the Philippines, Boogie is still out there, doing what he loves. And for a player who once ruled the paint in the world’s best basketball league, that’s not a bad way to continue the journey.