You’re plagued by inconsistency, especially with effort at the defensive end. Your coaches are probably upset about your defensive effort on a nightly basis. They probably want much, much more energy out of you and aren’t receiving it consistently enough.
Your coaches probably want you to lead the team as well. Instead of being a headache – at all – they probably wish you would be the first person to practice, be enthusiastic, cheer teammates on, etc. Long story short, they probably wish you would grow up, realize this whole NBA thing doesn’t last forever, and lead by example on a consistent basis.
I’m not going to sit here and pretend to know you because I interviewed you for a few minutes after the game. I’m also not going to judge the type of person you are because of your basketball abilities. “They try to tell me what kind of person I am by the way I play basketball, which is pretty unfair but they have a right to their opinion,” you told me after the 113-93 loss to Brooklyn. “I’m definitely not the person they try to make me out to be.”
I’m going to take you at your word because you’re 22 and probably don’t even know who you are yet. Heck, I’m 23 and I’m still trying to figure it out by the day.
But what I do know is this: The world is so tough on you because you have immense talent that many, many people (including me) wish they had. People are tough on you because they want to see the best DeMarcus Cousins they can on a nightly basis. With your skill set and abilities, you should end up in the Hall of Fame. These early setbacks should be only a sputtering start to an exceptional career.
Maybe you need a change of scenery. Maybe you need more veterans around to keep you in check. “Definitely,” said Nets guard Keith Bogans, a colleague through your Kentucky connections. “I think if there were some veteran guys on that team, they’d be on him. He wouldn’t make half the mistakes. It’s a learning process, but in the end he’s gonna be a lot better in the end as a result and the sky is the limit for him once he gets through it.”
Whether it’s in Sacramento or somewhere else – your name is perpetually on the trading block – please make the most of your talents. While you are in Sacramento, try to get better as a player and person on a daily basis. Stop making headlines for the wrong reasons. Continue to make the world aware of your talent by playing your game the way you’re capable of playing it.
At the end of the day, that’s all anybody who throws your name around wants or cares about. They want to believe in DeMarcus Cousins, not trash him. They want to build you up, not tear you down.
Move forward, not backward. That’s all anybody wants for you.
Sincerely,
Jeremy
Jeremy Bauman is an aspiring scout and shooting coach who blogs regularly and contributes occasional columns to SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter.
Nice Read. He has a lot of talent. Hopefully the C’s can trick Petrie into giving him for spare parts.