DeMarcus Cousins facts for kids
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Cousins with the Golden State Warriors in 2019
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 13, 1990 Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
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| High school | LeFlore (Mobile, Alabama) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 270 lb (122 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Kentucky (2009–2010) | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Sacramento Kings | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2010–present | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2017 | Sacramento Kings | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | New Orleans Pelicans | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Houston Rockets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Los Angeles Clippers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Milwaukee Bucks | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Denver Nuggets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Mets de Guaynabo | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Taiwan Beer Leopards | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | Selenge Bodons | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | Mets de Guaynabo | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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DeMarcus Amir Cousins (born August 13, 1990), often called "Boogie", is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. In 2010, he was recognized as a second-team All-American.
After one year at Kentucky, he was chosen by the Sacramento Kings as the fifth pick in the 2010 NBA draft. During his first season, Cousins was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. From 2015 to 2018, he was selected as an NBA All-Star four times. He also won two gold medals with the United States national team. He won his first gold in 2014 at the FIBA Basketball World Cup and his second in 2016 at the Rio Olympics. He last played for the Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico.
Contents
- Early Basketball Career
- Professional Basketball Journey
- National Team Career
- Career Statistics
- Personal Life
- See also
Early Basketball Career
High School Achievements
Cousins went to LeFlore Magnet High School in Mobile, Alabama. In 2009, he was named a first-team Parade All-American. He also played in the 2009 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, scoring 14 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Cousins also participated in the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit and the Jordan Brand Classic.
College Play at Kentucky
DeMarcus Cousins first committed to play for Alabama-Birmingham in 2008. Later, he committed to Memphis in 2009. However, when his coach, John Calipari, moved to Kentucky, Cousins decided to follow him. He officially joined Kentucky on April 15, 2009.
At Kentucky, Cousins was a strong player, averaging 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. With Cousins and John Wall leading the team, the Kentucky Wildcats reached the Elite Eight in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Professional Basketball Journey
Time with the Sacramento Kings (2010–2017)
Starting in the NBA
On April 7, 2010, Cousins decided to enter the 2010 NBA draft. The Sacramento Kings chose him as the fifth overall pick. He signed his first contract with the Kings on July 7, 2010. During the NBA Summer League, Cousins was named the Rookie of the Month for July. At the end of the 2010–11 season, he was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Throughout his time with the Kings, Cousins was known for his powerful play. He sometimes faced challenges with coaches and the league. For example, in 2012, he was briefly suspended by the Kings for behavior that was seen as not professional. He later apologized for some of his actions.
On September 30, 2013, Cousins signed a new contract with the Kings. He showed his dedication to Sacramento by donating $1 million of his salary to families and the community there. He started the season strong with 30 points and 14 rebounds against the Denver Nuggets.
Becoming an All-Star Player
In December 2014, Cousins was diagnosed with viral meningitis, which made him miss 10 games. However, he returned strong, scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in his first game back.
On January 30, 2015, Cousins was chosen to play in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game. This was a big moment, as he was the first Kings player to be an All-Star since 2004.
On April 1, 2015, Cousins achieved his second career triple-double. He had 24 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, 6 blocks, and 3 steals. He became one of only four players in NBA history to have such high numbers in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks in one game. In the next game, he became the first Kings player since 2005 to have back-to-back triple-doubles.
In October 2015, Cousins started the season with 32 points and 13 rebounds. He also showed improved three-point shooting. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week in November 2015.
On January 23, 2016, he scored a career-high 48 points against the Indiana Pacers. Just two days later, he set a new career high with 56 points in a game against the Charlotte Hornets. This broke Chris Webber's franchise record of 51 points. In January 2016, he was again named an All-Star reserve for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game.
Last Season in Sacramento
In the 2016–17 season opener, Cousins scored 24 points. On October 31, he became the Kings' all-time leader in double-doubles, passing Chris Webber. On December 20, he scored a new season high of 55 points. He recorded his fifth career triple-double on January 18, 2017, with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Joining the New Orleans Pelicans (2017–2018)
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On February 20, 2017, Cousins was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. He made his debut for the Pelicans three days later, scoring 27 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. On March 3, 2017, he had 19 points and a season-high 23 rebounds, tying the Pelicans' franchise record.
On October 26, 2017, Cousins had a huge game against his former team, the Kings, with 41 points and 23 rebounds. Two days later, he recorded his first triple-double of the season with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. He continued to have impressive games, including 40 points and 22 rebounds against the Denver Nuggets in December 2017.
On January 22, 2018, Cousins had an amazing game with 44 points, 24 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was the first NBA player since 1972 to achieve such high numbers in a single game. However, on January 26, 2018, he suffered a serious injury, tearing his left Achilles tendon. This injury ended his season.
Playing for the Golden State Warriors (2018–2019)
After his injury, Cousins signed a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors on July 6, 2018. He worked hard to recover and made his debut for the Warriors on January 18, 2019, scoring 14 points. On April 2, he scored a season-high 28 points.
In the 2019 NBA playoffs, Cousins suffered another injury, a torn left quadriceps. Despite this, he made a return in Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals. The Warriors eventually lost the series.
Time with the Los Angeles Lakers (2019–2020)
Cousins signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2019–20 season, reuniting with his former teammate Anthony Davis. Unfortunately, he tore his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in August 2019 and never played a game for the Lakers. Even though he didn't play, the Lakers won the 2020 NBA Finals that season and gave Cousins a championship ring.
Later NBA Teams (2020–2022)
Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers
On December 1, 2020, Cousins signed with the Houston Rockets. He played 25 games with the Rockets, averaging 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds. He was later waived by the team in February 2021.
In April 2021, Cousins signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and later signed for the rest of the season. He played 16 games for the Clippers, averaging 7.8 points.
Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets
On November 30, 2021, Cousins signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. He played 17 games for the Bucks before being waived in January 2022.
On January 21, 2022, Cousins signed a 10-day contract with the Denver Nuggets, reuniting with his former coach Michael Malone. He later signed for the remainder of the season. On March 4, Cousins scored a season-high 31 points for the Nuggets.
International Basketball (2023–Present)
Mets de Guaynabo (2023)
In April 2023, Cousins signed to play for the Guaynabo Mets in Puerto Rico. He averaged 20.4 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. He helped lead the team to the playoffs and semi-finals.
Taiwan Beer Leopards (2024)
On December 18, 2023, Cousins signed with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in Taiwan's T1 League. In February 2024, Cousins announced that he was no longer trying to return to the NBA. He re-signed with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in March 2024. On May 15, he was named the T1 League Most Popular Player of the Year. On June 1, Cousins was awarded the Finals MVP as his team won the championship.
Recent Teams (2025)
On January 10, 2025, Cousins signed with the Selenge Bodons in Mongolia. He also briefly joined the Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai International Basketball Championship.
In April 2025, it was confirmed that Cousins would return to play for the Guaynabo Mets for the 2025 season. He played his first game back on May 6, scoring 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. However, on June 10, 2025, he had an incident with fans and was later suspended for the rest of the season. The Mets then ended his contract on June 11, 2025.
National Team Career
Cousins was a member of the United States national team. He won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He won a second gold medal with the 2016 Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | Sacramento | 81 | 62 | 28.5 | .430 | .167 | .687 | 8.6 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .8 | 14.1 |
| 2011–12 | Sacramento | 64 | 62 | 30.5 | .448 | .143 | .702 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 18.1 |
| 2012–13 | Sacramento | 75 | 74 | 30.5 | .465 | .182 | .738 | 9.9 | 2.7 | 1.4 | .7 | 17.1 |
| 2013–14 | Sacramento | 71 | 71 | 32.4 | .496 | .000 | .726 | 11.7 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 22.7 |
| 2014–15 | Sacramento | 59 | 59 | 34.1 | .467 | .250 | .782 | 12.7 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 24.1 |
| 2015–16 | Sacramento | 65 | 65 | 34.6 | .451 | .333 | .718 | 11.5 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 26.9 |
| 2016–17 | Sacramento | 55 | 55 | 34.4 | .451 | .356 | .770 | 10.6 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 27.8 |
| New Orleans | 17 | 17 | 33.8 | .452 | .375 | .777 | 12.5 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 24.4 | |
| 2017–18 | New Orleans | 48 | 48 | 36.2 | .470 | .354 | .746 | 12.9 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 25.2 |
| 2018–19 | Golden State | 30 | 30 | 25.7 | .480 | .274 | .736 | 8.2 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 16.3 |
| 2020–21 | Houston | 25 | 11 | 20.2 | .376 | .336 | .746 | 7.6 | 2.4 | .8 | .7 | 9.6 |
| L.A. Clippers | 16 | 0 | 12.9 | .537 | .421 | .682 | 4.5 | 1.0 | .8 | .4 | 7.8 | |
| 2021–22 | Milwaukee | 17 | 5 | 16.9 | .466 | .271 | .816 | 5.8 | 1.1 | .9 | .5 | 9.1 |
| Denver | 31 | 2 | 13.9 | .456 | .324 | .736 | 5.5 | 1.7 | .6 | .4 | 8.9 | |
| Career | 654 | 561 | 29.8 | .460 | .331 | .737 | 10.2 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 19.6 | |
| All-Star | 4 | 0 | 10.4 | .800 | .500 | .667 | 3.7 | .3 | .3 | .0 | 9.3 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Golden State | 8 | 5 | 16.6 | .396 | .250 | .640 | 4.9 | 2.4 | .6 | .8 | 7.6 |
| 2021 | L.A. Clippers | 7 | 0 | 8.3 | .452 | .400 | .786 | 2.0 | .7 | .3 | .4 | 7.6 |
| 2022 | Denver | 5 | 0 | 11.4 | .655 | .667 | .733 | 3.4 | 1.2 | .6 | .2 | 10.6 |
| Career | 20 | 5 | 12.4 | .476 | .392 | .704 | 3.5 | 1.5 | .5 | .5 | 8.4 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Kentucky | 38 | 38 | 23.5 | .558 | .167 | .604 | 9.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 15.1 |
Personal Life
DeMarcus Cousins is the son of Monique and Jessie Cousins. He has four sisters and one brother, Jaleel, who is also a professional basketball player.
Cousins has two children. He married his longtime girlfriend Morgan Lang in Atlanta on August 24, 2019.
See also
In Spanish: DeMarcus Cousins para niños
