Appreciating DeMarcus Cousins

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Published: January 27, 2018

We here at Bourbon Street Shots are stunned and crestfallen. To DeMarcus Cousins, his friends, family, fans, and everyone that benefits from his talents, his good will, and his presence: Our thoughts are with you.

All the analysis will come, but for now, we decided to just appreciate DeMarcus. This will be added to as people gather their thoughts.

DeMarcus: Here’s to you.

42: I was so unbelievably happy for so many reasons when DeMarcus Cousins joined the Pelicans. I said very quickly, and I stood by it, that I would “Die on Boogie Hill.” No player is perfect, but Cousins has repeatedly show just how worth the investment (I wouldn’t call it a risk knowing what I know now) he always was. He’s quietly such a great guy, honest to a fault, passionate, fierce. He was having the season of his life, playing with the best teammates he’s had for a decent length of time. The team was ascending as he learned to fit better, he was named an All-Star Starter and on the way to becoming a playoff lock just prior to signing the deal of his life. I don’t care what anyone says, given this market, he deserved it all and more. I don’t care why he has a “reputation” with fans or writers, he doesn’t have one with players and he doesn’t have one with me. He’s a real guy, which I appreciate sooo much, and just when he’s getting a chance to shut up his critics, deserved or undeserved in their criticism . . . something that I think would be of tremendous emotional value to guy who, justifiably, sees a world that in some ways is unfairly set against him . . . the chance to even compete for that is taken away. Unbelievable, and unbelievably sad. No matter what the odds and history say, DeMarcus is going to try to come back at his best and prove history wrong, too. Go get ’em, big man. I’m with you, whatever that’s worth.

Kumar: DeMarcus earned his position as an All-Star starter. He was playing the best ball of his career. Through this recent stretch of wins, DeMarcus was not only pivotal, but he was playing with an intensity I had never seen before. He was buying in – no, he was transforming right before our eyes. For a guy to be experiencing so many firsts this season – winning, accolades, playing with a guy like Davis – my heart goes out to him. He doesn’t deserve this. Despite all my criticism I knew that our ceiling as a franchise rested upon his broad shoulders. And damn did he elevate it. So thank you DeMarcus. Thank you for giving this team your all. Thank you for playing with your heart on your sleeve. Thank you for all those memorable games. Don’t think you’re done yet though. You’re coming back stronger than ever. And when you do, you bet your ass we are going to #DoItBIg.

Grayson: This season has been filled with ups and downs from everyone, not just DeMarcus. But over the past 8-10 games both he and his teammates were playing some really good basketball. One night Boogie would have a ridiculous 40/20 then AD would. What was really enjoyable to watch about DeMarcus is when he cared, when he played with effort and energy he was nearly unstoppable. For all the criticism thrown his way, from me included, Cousins comes back again and again with some truly amazing performances. Everyone will talk about his offense, but watch that steal he had against the Rockets Friday night. He straight up stole that ball with the passion and effort that so many of us wanted to see from him. It’s clear that no matter what happens in the distant future, that both he and AD can not only play together, but play well together. They can scare teams. They can do things that not a whole of others can. I really wish DeMarcus all the best with his recovery. It was truly amazing to watch him play basketball for the New Orleans Pelicans this season.

Mason: Fans of NBA basketball in New Orleans have become accustomed to hearing reasons about why things won’t work out. And every time the hyperbolic rationale mounts, this team finds a way to kick the naysayers in the teeth. Trading for Boogie about a year ago provided the type of spark that this Pelicans team hasn’t experienced since April 2015 (when the Pelicans beat the Spurs on the last day of the regular season to clinch a playoff victory), and before that, not really since 2012 (when the Hornets won the draft lottery). The fact that Cousins registered a 15-13-11 triple-double in the game that eventually ended his season is a fantastic example of the strides that he made as a player through this season alone. The month of January saw a legitimately “bought-in” Boogie to what the Pelicans were trying to do, and the impact on the team was obvious – just look at the standings. He is a special player who was doing truly special things for this team. More than that, though, DeMarcus Cousins is a incredibly special person who most certainly does not deserve this type of misfortune, and I am devastated for him. Nothing will be the same without him.

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