In a brand new clip from the upcoming Resurgence docuseries about DeMarcus Cousins, the Warriors newest center dunks for the first time since tearing his Achilles in February last season.
Storyline: DeMarcus Cousins Injury
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Showtime Sports: Competitors find a way, @boogiecousins gets his dunk back. @TheNBPA #TheResurgence
The Render: Boogie looking spry in offseason workout
Just as the Warriors have done in the past two regular seasons, they have placed higher priority on Cousins’ long-term health than establishing a short-term timetable. Still, Cousins recently posted a video of him hoisting jump shots and driving to the basket. “He’s right on schedule. He hasn’t had any setbacks. He’s doing well,” Kerr said of Cousins. “Beyond that, there’s nothing. No prediction. Especially with an Achilles injury, you have to wait and see how the player responds once he’s on the court and moving at full speed.”
DeMarcus Cousins: Progress… #TheResurgence #0Doubt
Tim Bontemps: DeMarcus Cousins on rehab: “It’s the worst.”
Logan Murdock: DeMarcus Cousins said he talked with Rudy Gay, Wes Matthews, Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins and teammate Jonas Jerebko about his Achilles. “It’s an injury that can be overcome”
Jerebko would know, seeing that he’s recovered from similar injury himself. “He’s going to be back no problem,” Jerebko said of Cousins. “I haven’t had any problems with it. I took my time. It took quite some time but I did my rehab right and I know he’s going to be back.”
Question: He has said he was aiming to be ready for the season. That seems to have cooled. Where do you think target-wise he could potentially try to return? Myers: I don’t think we’ll know until he does another appointment. He has an appointment in the middle of July and then we’ll know. I think I’ve heard on track, the surgery is somewhere between 8-10 months from the time you have it. But for us, it won’t be: We need you to get out there tonight. It’ll be ramping it up slowly. You can’t really tell with any guy, him or any guy, until they get on the court and do certain things. The goal is for us to have him in the playoffs. That doesn’t mean we’ll wait for the playoffs. When he’s ready to play, he’ll play. We just don’t know when that will be.
If some of the NBA staffers occupying Thomas & Mack felt an unexpected shiver run through their bodies, it might have something to do with the next thing Brand said about Cousins: “I think he’s going to destroy the league once he comes back.” Brand then indicated that “destroy the league” might even be a tempered take, moderated based on his position. “I’m on a management staff, so I can’t talk that much about it,” he started, “but people are going to feel ridiculous for not giving him that money, in my opinion.”
Tim Bontemps: Warriors general manager Bob Myers says there’s no definitive timeline on when DeMarcus Cousins will play, but that, “When he’s ready to play, he’ll play.” Says goal is for him to be ready for the playoffs, not opening night.
Michael Lee: DeMarcus Cousins: “Any doubt from anybody, I use it as fuel. It doesn’t matter if it’s basketball or life in general. I’ve always came up being a kid that never accepted nos or somebody telling me something that I couldn’t do something. It’s a gift & a curse. I’m very stubborn.”
After harboring hopes of returning from an Achilles tear by training camp, DeMarcus Cousins scaled back his expectations while talking to reporters in Las Vegas on Friday. The All-Star center, who officially signed with the Golden State Warriors, told media members that he would re-take the court “when I’m ready.” “I was aiming for training camp, but I’ve kind of communicated with the staff and the coaches,” Cousins said. “It’s kind of up in the air. It’ll be when I’m ready, one hundred percent ready.”
Optimists suggest he could return as early as December or even late November. (Cousins told Spears he expects to be ready for training camp.) The Warriors will afford him a longer timeline if need be. It would not be a shock if he doesn’t appear in a real game until around Christmas, sources say.
Marc J. Spears: Golden State Warriors newcomer DeMarcus Cousins told ESPN’s The Undefeated that he had no significant contract offers when free agency arrived, but had already mentally prepared himself for possible disappointment due to his recovery from his Achilles’ tendon injury. Cousins…
Carl Steward: Words from former NBA standout Elton Brand, who suffered Cousins’ injury: “No one’s really recovered from that Achilles injury and come back at the same level.”
In Golden State, Cousins will team with four fellow All-Stars in the starting lineup in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. Cousins is expected to be healthy for the early part of the regular season, league sources said, but this move signifies his determination to win.
Cousins has been rehabilitating primarily in his offseason home of Las Vegas and has previously told The Undefeated that he could be ready by the start of training camp. Cousins received phone calls from the Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers on the first day of NBA free agency on Sunday, a source told The Undefeated’s Marc Spears.
Anthony Slater: DeMarcus Cousins tore his achilles on January 26th. The Warriors open camp in late September, eight months later. Should be on the back end of his rehab.
Chris Mannix: In a weird way, this is perfect for Cousins. Rehab slowly, come back whenever, win a ring and enter free agency next summer, when cap space will be everywhere.
Scott Kushner: Demps said Cousins’ rehab is “right on schedule”
DeMarcus Cousins: The Resurgence #0doubt
DeMarcus Cousins: #0DOUBT
DeMarcus Cousins: 32 YEAR OLD DOMINIQUE WILKINS INJURES ACHILLES IN 1992 / COMES BACK NEXT YEAR TO AVERAGE 30 PPG #TheResurgence #0Doubt #1992
As far as rehab, are you going five days a week? Do you have to be cautious about not going too hard? DeMarcus Cousins: “I go six days a week, and I was cleared a while ago to just go [hard]. My doctors and my team around me have been great with how hard they pushed me, how far they pushed me. The results have been good so far — well, not even good, great.”
What does “great” mean as far as a timetable for a return? DeMarcus Cousins: “Just at the pace I’m improving, how well I’m improving. Some people may be aware, but they may not know about this injury. Usually you lose a lot of size in your leg and it takes a while to get that size basically where you have matching legs. For me, I didn’t lose any size in my leg, so that’s something that my doctors and the guys coaching me through this process have been raving about it. They are super excited about it. I didn’t lose much strength. It’s a lot of positives. Like I said, everything’s been great and it’s in the right direction.”
Cousins and Rondo built a strong bond during their days with Sacramento and also played well together in New Orleans. But that connection came to a halt when the Pelicans lost Cousins for the season to a torn left Achilles tendon on Jan. 28 against the Houston Rockets. Cousins was averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. “I think ‘Cuz’ is doing well,” Rondo said. “He texted me right after [Game 2] with some encouraging words. He told me, ‘Way to fight,’ and he had a couple other things to say. He texts me all the time. He is still a really good friend of mine and one of the very best I’ve ever played with.”
Marc J. Spears: Injured Pelicans All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins didn’t make the trip with the team.
Will Guillory: DeMarcus Cousins is sitting on the bench with the Pelicans.
Cousins will be sitting courtside at the Smoothie King Center for the first time since he tore his Achilles in January. Up until this week, Cousins had been rehabbing in Los Angeles and was restricted from air travel. He did join the team for two road games in L.A., though. “It means a lot to us. I think it means a lot to him, as well, to be here supporting us,” Davis said after Cousins was at the team’s morning shootaround, chatting with teammates and coaches while wearing a walking boot on his left foot. “To be here, to be in front of his fans … it’s gonna be fun to see him back on the bench.”
Injured New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins recently relocated back to his off-season home of Las Vegas to continue his six-day per week rehabilitation regimen from his torn Achilles’ tendon injury, a source told ESPN’s The Undefeated. The four-time NBA All-Star hopes to attend an upcoming Pelicans playoff game, but the source said such is difficult due to his rehab.
Will Guillory: Alvin Gentry said he “hopes” DeMarcus Cousins will be at the game tomorrow. Said he’ll call him after today’s practice to see if he’s cleared to travel
After Cousins went down, what was it like to see Anthony Davis mature the way he has as a leader? DD: He found a rhythm. I think he has people around him that also enhances his abilities and he enhances theirs. It’s been fun to watch him, especially this season, just take that next step.
“Houston is having a good [season], but I’m most impressed with New Orleans,” Green said after shootaround on Thursday. “With some of the games they won, with some of the numbers that AD has put up, has been incredible and they’re doing that without DeMarcus. I think there was kind of a consensus around the world that once DeMarcus went out, that they’d struggle, and yet, AD is putting them boys on his back…That’s impressive.”
As New Orleans star Anthony Davis prepares for the second half of the season with the Pelicans holding on to the eighth seed in the Western Conference, he still thinks about what could have been this year had teammate DeMarcus Cousins not ruptured his Achilles. “We could have gone through the playoffs. No one could really stop us as bigs. We go to the Finals if we went,” Davis told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in an interview over All-Star weekend. [Teammate Rajon Rondo] reminds us of it: ‘You guys are the two best bigs. I know what it takes to win championships; we got it.’”
Davis said he has been mirroring Russell Westbrook’s approach to keep the Pelicans in the playoff picture. They are 4-5 since Cousins’ injury, compared to 27-21 before that. “You kind of have that Russell Westbrook mentality when [Kevin Durant] went out,” Davis said. “Russ just went out there and played, and he shot 40 shots sometimes, you know, whatever it takes to help your team win, and I’m kind of taking that approach.”
Michael Lee: DeMarcus Cousins made it to Los Angeles after being voted an All-Star starter for the first time. Unfortunately, that Achilles’ injury means he won’t play & has to move around in a wheelchair for the big event
Jim Eichenhofer: Anthony Davis on #Pelicans: “When you lose a guy like DeMarcus Cousins, it’s tough. But we have to keep going. The organization went out right away to do something about it, knowing the position we’re in, (in seventh in West). We want to make sure we don’t drop, that we keep progressing”
DeMarcus Cousins: The Resurgence begins... #TheResurgence #0doubt
New Orleans Pelicans forward DeMarcus Cousins underwent successful surgery today to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon, it was announced by the team.
Dr. Richard Ferkel, MD of the Southern California Orthopedic Institute performed the procedure in Los Angeles, CA. “DeMarcus’ surgery went very well,” stated Dr. Ferkel. “I expect he will have a full recovery and be able to return to basketball after an intensive rehabilitation program.” Cousins will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Further updates will be provided appropriatel
Will Guillory: Alvin Gentry says that DeMarcus Cousins will be having his surgery tomorrow
David Morrow: With Boogie down and Blake Griffin in Detroit, the NBA has dropped the Utah-NOP matchup from NBA TV and added Portland-Detroit on Feb. 5.
That it occurred at the end of the fourth quarter isn’t a total surprise. According to a 2015 study by Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com, a site specializing in sports injuries, 64 percent of in-game ruptures in the NBA since 2005 happened in the second half of games. That finding follows this report: fatigue or overuse contributes to Achilles tendinitis and ruptures, according to the Cleveland Clinic and other studies.
In sum, January was Cousins’ most taxing month of his career (in months with at least five games played)—he registered a career-high 38.3 minutes per game. Friday’s game was Cousins’ fourth in seven days. Of course, peering through the annals of NBA history, plenty of centers at Cousins’ enormous size have averaged 40 minutes per game. If they could take it, why can’t today’s big men?
The Pelicans wouldn’t make that exchange though. Multiple executives and agents I’ve spoken with over recent weeks believe Cousins has grown fond of playing in New Orleans, and expected him to re-sign anyway. But a new variable has been introduced with the injury. Love or hate Boogie, he could be counted on to take the floor, produce elite offense, and rebound the ball like a man possessed. The equation has changed.
Scott Kushner: Rajon Rondo said DeMarcus Cousins was in the film room with the #Pelicans this morning, despise tearing his achillies last night. He expects Cousins to stay around the team and maintain his presence and leadership role.
A 2013 research paper published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine found that of 18 NBA players who ruptured their Achilles over 23 seasons, only eight returned to play for longer than one season. A player of Cousins’s caliber is naturally likely to return to the court, but those that do make it back onto the court have mixed results. Players like Elton Brand and Wes Matthews were never the same after returning. Isiah Thomas suffered a ruptured Achilles at age 32, then retired. Dominique Wilkins also had the same injury at age 32, then played until he was 39 and was named to two more All-NBA teams.
Interestingly, the study found that 29 years old was the average age a player ruptured their Achilles. Cousins is 27. Nonetheless, the study found that 17 of the 18 players saw their minutes decrease after returning. While the sample size for football is small, NFL players have seen a similar decline in both opportunity and production.
“Obviously, it’s a sick injury,” Matthews said. “I can understand everything that’s going on in his mind right now.” Matthews said he was waiting for things to settle down a little before reaching out to Cousins, whom many NBA experts have pointed to as a possible free-agent target for the Mavericks this summer.
Cousins is a much bigger human being than Matthews and nobody can predict how he’ll come back from a major injury like this. “But at the same time, he’s not like (high-flyers) Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan,” Matthews said. “He’s skill-based. But obviously, you’re going to lose a step for a little bit. And more than anything, it’s a mental game. I believe he’s got the mentality to deal with and be stronger from it. But it’s a long road. There’s no doubt about that.”
John Schuhmann: NBA announces that Paul George will replace DeMarcus Cousins in the All-Star Game (on Team LeBron).
TJ McBride: Malone on the DeMarcus Cousins injury: “I love DeMarcus. I feel awful for him. To have the injury he has because he is playing so well and the one thing he wants more than anything to get to the playoffs. That is the one thing guys have said he’s unable to do.”
Pau Gasol: We will miss you on the court @DeMarcus Cousins, get well soon! You will come back stronger than ever! 💪🏼
Stephen Curry: Stay strong @DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Roberson! Prayers your way for a strong recovery 🙏🏽
Jim Eichenhofer: DeMarcus Cousins will miss the final 34 games of this season. He’s never had a stretch longer than 10 games in his #NBA career of being sidelined. He’s also appeared in 535 of a possible 606 games over seven-plus seasons, which is 88% of games
Jim Eichenhofer: Anthony Davis on advice he gave Cousins about dealing with an extended layoff from playing: “I told him the first month, you’re going to want to pull your hair out. It’s tough. Especially when your team is playing, and you’re not able to do anything. That’s the toughest part.”
Jim Eichenhofer: Asked about Cousins injury as a free agent, Anthony Davis: “It’s tough, not knowing what’s going to happen, how big your market is going to be, are you going to be the same (player) coming back?” Wry smile: “But I think he’s done enough in his career to show that he’s very solid”
Jim Eichenhofer: Midway through his post-practice media session today, Anthony Davis got briefly distracted by a familiar face. To his right, DeMarcus Cousins had entered #Pelicans practice facility on crutches. Davis to Cousins: “Oh man, hey! You want to come join me?” Cousins declined, smiling
Jim Eichenhofer: Anthony Davis on #Pelicans with 34 games left: “Everybody’s playing well. Jrue’s playing well, E’Twaun, Darius. We’ve just got to carry that over to the rest of the season. Of course missing one of our main guys is tough, but it means guys have to step up… It starts tomorrow.”
Jim Eichenhofer: Rajon Rondo on advantage #Pelicans still have with Cousins sidelined: “There is still only one Anthony Davis (in the #NBA). No one can match that. We have to continue to trust one another. It’s a team sport. We’ll play team basketball.”
Jim Eichenhofer: Alvin Gentry on #Pelicans players reacting to DeMarcus Cousins being out for the season: “What everybody today feels is there’s a sadness for DeMarcus. He’s worked extremely hard to be where he is right now… I think the guys feel really badly for him.”
Jim Eichenhofer: Alvin Gentry on #Pelicans over final 34 games: “We still have a goal in mind that’s attainable. Obviously when you lose a guy that’s having the kind of year DeMarcus is having, (it’s tough). With that being said…everything we set out to do this year is still out in front of us”
Emiliano Carchia: Pelicans officially announce DeMarcus Cousins is out for the season
Fletcher Mackel: More Anthony Davis tells the media he’s okay playing more at center to replace DeMarcus Cousins. Boogie played 95% of the @PelicansNBA minutes at center. When AD has had to play extended minutes at the 5, it’s taken a toll.
James Harden: Wishing you a speedy recovery big dawg. Keep a positive mind and you’ll be back before you know it. @DeMarcus Cousins 🙏🏾 Stay #Lockedin🔐
Josh Lewenberg: Casey spent time with Cousins at the Kentucky alumni game in Lexington over the summer, said he’s different than his reputation/on-court persona. “He’s matured”. Said he really feels for him. “I wish him nothing but the best of luck.”
Candace Buckner: John Wall feels terrible for his friend DeMarcus Cousins, who suffered a season-ending injury last night. “That really hurt me. He’s having a hell of a year. To be an all-star starter and then something like that happened, it’s the most frustrating part.”
Candace Buckner: More John Wall on DeMarcus Cousins’ season-ending injury: “It hurt me more than it probably hurt him because I like to see people conquer. You never want to see people go through anything like that.” Wall said he texted but thinks Cousins turned his phone off.
E’Twaun Moore: Know you’re going to come back from this better and stronger than ever @DeMarcus Cousins! #NOLA #Pels #PrayersUp
Dakari Johnson: Prayers up for @DeMarcus Cousins 🙏
Ian Clark: Prayers for my bro @DeMarcus Cousins
Quincy Acy: Prayers up for the big fella @DeMarcus Cousins 🙏🏾
Adrian Wojnarowski: Source: An MRI has confirmed diagnosis on DeMarcus Cousins: Torn left Achilles, out for the season.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Range on recovery for DeMarcus Cousins, league source tells ESPN: 6-to-10 months.
Shams Charania: Sources: Surgery plan for DeMarcus Cousins, as torn Achilles go: As soon as possible. He had another All-Star season, helped lead Pelicans to 27-21 and sixth seed in West so far.
“I feel horrible for him,” Gentry said after the game. “Everything that he’s done, and what he’s tried to do for us this year and what he’s made himself and the improvements in all areas that he’s made on and off the court, has just been great. I don’t want that to happen to a guy that’s trying to better himself.”
Anthony Davis: My dawg!! Tough to see bro but I know you gonna come back stronger than ever. We gone hold it down for you!! #Pels #Brothers
LeBron James: Thoughts out to @boogiecousins! Hope you good big fella. 🙏🏾
Kevin Love: Hope big fella @boogiecousins is ok!!! Prayers 👏🏼
Enes Kanter: Prayers up to my brother @boogiecousins 🙏🙏
Meyers Leonard: Hate to see the news about @DeMarcus Cousins . We’ve had our fair share of heated battles, but can’t stand to see that happen to anyone. Come back better and stronger man. Too damn talented to let this slow you up 💪🏼 I know it won’t.
Garrett Temple: Damn bruh!!!!! I’m sick to my stomach with the news about my lil bro @DeMarcus Cousins 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 PRAYERS UP!!! You will be back stronger bro!!!
Adrian Wojnarowski: DeMarcus Cousins has suffered a torn left Achilles tendon, league sources tell ESPN. He will miss the rest of the season. The MRI is coming soon, but diagnosis is clear.
September 19, 2018 | 3:38 am EDT Update
If McCaw doesn’t show up, maybe the Warriors will just stage an open competition and see if one of those younger options seizes the opportunity. But the most likely result remains McCaw’s eventual concession. A similar situation happened with center Alex Len in Phoenix last summer. He didn’t love his $4.2 million qualifying offer. He dragged the process deep into the summer. He finally accepted it on Sept. 21, right before camp.
Wade, 36, waited until the end of the video before revealing his choice. He began by stating the reasons he considered walking away. The red-eye flights, nightly ice baths and hours on the training table were all factors but nothing made retirement look more appealing than spending more time with family. “Is it selfish of me wanting to continue being away from family,” Wade said. “Can I miss my son’s games? Can I miss my son? Can I not be there in moments that they need me? Can I not read to my kids as much as I want. Can I not be there to support my wife? It’s all these things.”
Before entering the league in 2003, Wade always thought time was forever on his side. He was quickly corrected by veteran teammates. Sixteen years later, the warnings proved true. “When you first come in the league, the vets tell you, they say, `Young fella, it’s going to go by fast,’” Wade said in the video. “You think at that time, `I’m just getting started.’ … I’m here to tell you it goes by fast. It’s been a tough summer. This has been a summer for me that not a lot of athletes want to see this time come, where you have to decide if you want to continue to play the game that you love.”’
One day after the statements of Greek federation president, Giorgos Vasilakopoulos, about Giannis Antetokounmpo and his possible participation with the Greek national team in the upcoming FIBA World Cup, Giannis’ agent Giorgos Panou revealed that there’s a gap in the relationship between the Greek freak and the federation. Vasilakopoulos said that “Giannis’ agents will decide if he will play in the World Cup. It’s a parasitic profession“. Panou, who was among the targets of this attack, answered while speaking to “Sport FM radio“: “I have to say that I speak for myself and not on behalf of Giannis. I know Giannis since he was 14 years old and I have to clarify some things about him because he never gave the right to anyone to present him as a marionette or a pawn. Mister Vasilakopoulos once more insults one of the top Greek players and presents him having no free will. The truth is the exact opposite. Last year the Federation attacked the Bucks, this year the problem is the agents. However two years ago Vasilakopoulos called without shame Giannis and his brother Thanasis to their faces “leashed bears” who were parading around Greece in the events that they organized themselves. That morning Giannis decided to stay silent, respecting the age and the mantle of the president. However, two people with such different perception of reality can’t co-exist. That’s why Giannis decided to announce himself that he was not able to play in Eurobasket 2017 due to his knee injury”.
That’s not so much the case with Popovich, whose playcalling archives are on a Library of Alexandria level. “Pop might call a play and I’ll go through my notes and see that the last time he called it was eight years ago,” says a West scout. “But it will be the same term, same hand signal, same play.” The notoriously clandestine Popovich would likely never reveal its contents, but his playbook must contain thousands of well-archived designs, accumulated through over two decades of Spurs stewardship.
Popovich is also known for having used one of the more ridiculous looking hand signals for a play called “Shake.” When signaling the call, Pop looked like he was pantomiming an onanistic act. Then again, that’s up for interpretation. “You could say he was shaking up some dice with that hand,” an East scout mused.
It’s that skill — the ability to probe, report and understand the biggest personalities around the league, as well as his first-rate connections — that led the Clippers to pursue Jenkins. “I ask all the time when I’m working on a story: ‘Who is he? Who is he? Who is he?’ ” Jenkins told The Washington Post in an interview Tuesday. “We run around with that question in our head, and it’s a worthwhile question for sports teams to ask about players.” Jenkins will not report on the Clippers, nor will he help craft presentations for free agents — the kinds of things a communications job might entail. “He’s not writing for the website, he’s not in human resources, he’s not a marketer,” Frank told The Post. “This is about a guy who has relentless curiosity, and we are going to use those skills.”
