<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-demarcus-cousins-blasts-new-orleans-for-big-zion-williamson-mistake');   ga('set', 'title', 'Did Pelicans make a big ‘mistake’ with Zion Williamson?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DeMarcus-Cousins-blasts-New-Orleans-for-big-Zion-Williamson-mistake.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Did Pelicans make a big ‘mistake’ with Zion Williamson?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-27T12:18:52-08:00">November 27th, 12:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-27T13:23:30-08:00">November 27th, 1:23pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former NBA player <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-demarcus-cousins-flames-new-orleans-handling-zion-williamson">DeMarcus Cousins has openly criticized the New Orleans Pelicans</a>‘ decision to draft Zion Williamson, suggesting that the team’s choice may have been a fundamental mistake given the city’s culture and its potential impact on Williamson’s health and development. Cousins’ remarks have reignited questions about whether Williamson’s immense potential can outweigh the challenges that have defined his tenure in New Orleans.</p><p>“I thought it was a bad decision,” Cousins <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1861832419122487601" rel="noopener">said during a recent appearance</a> on FanDuel’s Run It Back. “Let’s rewind all the way back – when this guy was getting drafted and we knew he was going to New Orleans and it was a weight concern, that was bad then. New Orleans isn’t some place that just gives health. That’s a place you go to gain 10 pounds, you go out there, drink, and have a good time. That’s what the culture of New Orleans is. So to put that kid into that situation and expect him to thrive in it, that was the first mistake.”</p><p>The Pelicans selected Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, touting him as a generational talent capable of transforming the franchise. While his moments of brilliance have been undeniable, Williamson’s career has been defined more by absences than accolades. Injuries have forced him to miss over 207 games in just five seasons, and his most recent setback — a left hamstring strain — has sidelined him indefinitely.</p><h2><b>Zion Williamson’s struggles and Pelicans’ missteps fuel growing doubts</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Zion-Williamson-1-looks-on-from-the-bench-against-the-Orlando-Magic-.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>This season, Williamson is averaging 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, solid numbers for most players but far from the dominance expected from someone once heralded as the NBA’s next superstar. His availability remains a persistent issue, further straining a Pelicans roster riddled with injuries and failing to build on last year’s postseason appearance, which ended in a sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.</p><p>At 4-14, the Pelicans are in free fall, and questions surrounding the team’s decision to draft Williamson loom larger with each passing game. Cousins’ comments underscore a growing sentiment: while Williamson has immense talent, New Orleans may not have been the right environment for him to flourish. The city’s culture, known for its vibrant nightlife and indulgent cuisine, presents unique challenges for an athlete already facing scrutiny over weight and conditioning.</p><p>Critics argue that the Pelicans, knowing Williamson’s potential hurdles, should have built a stronger support system or reconsidered their pick altogether. Cousins’ remarks reflect that sentiment, suggesting the franchise failed to set Williamson up for sustained success.</p><h2><b>DeMarcus Cousins, Tim MacMahon question New Orleans’ future direction</b></h2><p>Adding to the debate, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon recently suggested that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-insider-makes-case-cutting-zion-williamson-best-option">Pelicans should consider cutting ties with Zion Williamson</a>. Williamson breached a non-guaranteed clause for the final three years of his five-year, $197.2 million contract extension by playing in only 29 games during the 2022-23 season. The clause was designed to protect the Pelicans in case of extended absences, and MacMahon believes that Williamson’s inability to stay healthy could justify moving on from the former top pick.</p><p>While some fans remain hopeful that Williamson can overcome these challenges, others see his tenure as indicative of a larger organizational failure. Cousins’ critique and MacMahon’s suggestion highlight the pressure facing both Williamson and the Pelicans to justify their investment, as the team struggles to find stability in an increasingly competitive Western Conference.</p><p>With Williamson’s future clouded by injuries, contract concerns, and inconsistencies, the question lingers: was drafting Zion Williamson the transformative move the Pelicans envisioned, or has it ultimately been a costly mistake?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Did Pelicans make a big ‘mistake’ with Zion Williamson?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-demarcus-cousins-flames-new-orleans-handling-zion-williamson');   ga('set', 'title', 'DeMarcus Cousins flames Pelicans for handling of Zion Williamson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Pelicans-news-DeMarcus-Cousins-flames-New-Orleans-for-handling-of-Zion-Williamson.jpg"></figure><h1>DeMarcus Cousins flames Pelicans for handling of Zion Williamson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-27T11:57:22-08:00">November 27th, 11:57am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-27T14:52:15-08:00">November 27th, 2:52pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-cj-mccollum-first-game-back-injury-cut-corners-defense-shots-not-falling-pacers">New Orleans Pelicans have been bit by the injury bug</a> to open up the 2024-25 NBA season with several key players out of the lineup currently. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-downplays-severity-hamstring-injury-amid-recent-absence-injury">One of those players is Zion Williamson</a>, who doesn’t appear to be very close to a return since injuring his hamstring earlier in the month, although the team is expected to get Dejounte Murray back from a hand fracture this week.</p><p>One person who has experience with the Pelicans is DeMarcus Cousins, who was traded there from the Sacramento Kings at the 2018 trade deadline but unfortunately tore his Achilles shortly thereafter.</p><p>Recently, Cousins took to the Run It Back Show, presented by FanDuel TV, to <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1861832419122487601" rel="noopener">express his frustration</a> at how the Pelicans have handled the Williamson situation.</p><p>“Let’s rewind all the way back. When this guy was getting drafted, we knew he was going to New Orleans, and there was a weight concern. That was bad then,” said Cousins. “New Orleans isn’t some place that just gives health.</p><p>“That’s a place you go and you gain 10 pounds. You go out there, you drink, have a good time. That’s what the culture of New Orleans is, so to put that kid in that situation and expect him to thrive in it, that was the first mistake.”</p><p>It’s a bit unclear which aspect of the situation Cousins believes the Pelicans are actually at fault for.</p><h2><b>Can the Pelicans save their season?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Williamson-on-the-sidelines.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Pelicans currently sit at 4-14, having seen Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Williamson, and still others miss time so far this year.</p><p>New Orleans expected to be contenders in the vaunted Western Conference this year after acquiring Murray from the Atlanta Hawks in the offseason. However, as has been the case so often over the last few years, injuries appear to have derailed things before they even got off the ground.</p><p>That doesn’t mean there isn’t hope for the Pelicans to turn things around. Fans need look no further than the Milwaukee Bucks, who recently had their obituaries being prepared by most publications but have since rattled off five-straight wins to see just how quickly a team can change its fortunes in the NBA.</p><p>Still, the Pelicans have dug themselves quite a hole so far, and it will be very difficult to claw out of if Williamson is out of the lineup for too much longer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

DeMarcus Cousins flames Pelicans for handling of Zion Williamson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/76ers-news-demarcus-cousins-joel-embiid-drama');   ga('set', 'title', 'DeMarcus Cousins calls out 76ers’ Joel Embiid amid ‘rat’ drama');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DeMarcus-Cousins-calls-out-Joel-Embiid-amid-rat-drama.jpg"></figure><h1>DeMarcus Cousins calls out 76ers’ Joel Embiid amid ‘rat’ drama</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-27T10:28:27-08:00">November 27th, 10:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-27T10:31:52-08:00">November 27th, 10:31am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Philadelphia 76ers’ 2024-25 NBA season has been defined by underperformance, drama and injuries up to this point in late November. Philadelphia holds an abysmal 3-13 record following an offseason in which they added Paul George to their Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey-led roster. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/76ers-news-joel-embiid-paul-george-ruled-out-vs-rockets">Embiid, however, has played in only four games</a>. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/76ers-news-joel-embiid-blasts-real-piece-of-st-that-leaked-team-meeting">76ers star previously called out</a> an unknown source who revealed alarming 76ers’ drama, but former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins believes Embiid’s focus “<a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1861826437134582200" rel="noopener">is in the wrong place</a>.”</p><p>“I think Joel’s focus is in the wrong place,” Cousins said during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back. “F**k who the rat is right now. Your team is struggling, y’all look horrible this season. It’s a lot of negativity coming your way from the media, from the organization, from your teammates. It’s just time to right the ship. Let’s get back to the foundation which is playing basketball. Go lock in, win some games… They have more than enough time, they are in the East, it’s a top heavy conference.</p><p>“They have more than enough of a chance to get into the playoffs.”</p><p>Cousins added that Embiid’s focus shouldn’t be on trying to find out who leaked the 76ers’ drama. Rather, Cousins wants Embiid to focus on helping the 76ers win games.</p><p>However, Joel Embiid is still missing games due to injury management as he recovers from a knee concern. The 76ers will need Embiid to return and stay healthy in order to make a serious postseason run during the 2024-25 NBA season. It is uncertain when Embiid will return, however.</p><p>For now, the 76ers will attempt to defeat the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at 7 PM EST despite Embiid’s injury absence. Philadelphia is certainly hopeful that Joel Embiid will return sooner rather than later, but it remains an uncertain situation at the moment.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

DeMarcus Cousins calls out 76ers’ Joel Embiid amid ‘rat’ drama

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-demarcus-cousins-rips-la-selection-of-bronny-james');   ga('set', 'title', 'DeMarcus Cousins rips Lakers selection of Bronny James');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DeMarcus-Cousins-rips-LAs-selection-of-Bronny-James.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>DeMarcus Cousins rips Lakers selection of Bronny James</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-15T09:02:16-07:00">October 15th, 9:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-15T09:03:07-07:00">October 15th, 9:03am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>DeMarcus Cousins, a former four-time NBA All-Star, didn’t hold back his criticism of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-bronny-nba-first-lakers-draft-pick">Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to draft Bronny James</a>, the son of LeBron James, in the second round of this past summer’s NBA Draft. In an appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back with host Michelle Beadle, Cousins expressed disappointment with the direction the Lakers have taken.</p><p>“I don’t think the Lakers are serious anymore,” Cousins said. “I love everything that it stands for. What Bron [LeBron] is doing with his legacy, just as a businessman and everything that comes with that — I think it’s a beautiful thing, I think it’s really dope. As far as the Lakers actually competing, I take that as a sign they aren’t really serious [about competing]. With the way their season ended last year… I expected more from them as far as making moves.”</p><p>Cousins’ <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1846199170010415584" rel="noopener">comments reflect his concern</a> about the Lakers’ current roster and their offseason decisions. Despite Bronny James being a highly touted prospect, Cousins suggested the Lakers may not be prioritizing winning as much as they have in previous years. The Lakers fell short in the 2023-24 season, losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets, which Cousins indicated was a sign the team needed to make more substantial changes.</p><h2><b>DeMarcus Cousins dishes Lakers’ Bronny James criticisms</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/LeBron-James-23-goofs-around-with-his-son-guard-Bronny-James-.jpg"><figcaption>© Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>However, Cousins did express optimism about the<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dalton-knecht-headlines-2024-nba-draft-1st-round-steals"> Lakers’ first-round pick, Dalton Knecht</a>. “I do like the kid from Tennessee that they drafted. I think he could be an instant impact player for them,” Cousins said. “But they have a lot of concerns last year that I don’t think really were addressed, and I didn’t really see those moves be made in the offseason.”</p><p>One of the major concerns Cousins could have referenced is the lack of a reliable big man to play alongside Anthony Davis. The Lakers have yet to make significant moves to bolster their frontcourt depth, which was an issue in the previous season. A report on Monday suggested that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sources-lakers-involved-offseason-trade-pursuited-coveted-hornets-center">Lakers were attempting to acquire Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards</a>, though no deal has been finalized.</p><p>Moreover, Cousins’ remarks add to ongoing conversations surrounding the Lakers’ offseason strategy, raising questions about whether the team is prepared to contend for a championship in the upcoming season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

DeMarcus Cousins rips Lakers selection of Bronny James

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/kentucky-basketball-news-alum-demarcus-cousins-reveals-kept-school-4-years');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kentucky basketball alum DeMarcus Cousins reveals what would have kept him in school 4 years');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Demarcus-Cousins-gets-real-about-NIL.jpg"><figcaption>© Jordan Prather-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Kentucky basketball alum DeMarcus Cousins reveals what would have kept him in school 4 years</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-10T13:01:13-07:00">September 10th, 1:01pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-10T13:01:13-07:00">September 10th, 1:01pm</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NCAA Basketball</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>University of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-john-calipari-baby-bottle-kentucky-deal-demarcus-cousins">Kentucky basketball alum Demarcus Cousins</a> recently told HoopsHype that <a href="https://hoopshype.com/rumor/3152034/" rel="noopener">if there were NIL deals</a> when he was in college, that would have made him stay with the Wildcats for all four years.</p><p>“If I had NIL deals back in my day, I would have stayed four years at Kentucky, no doubt,” Cousins said. “Man, we brought Kentucky back from the shadows, and the timing of it would have been perfect. I’d have made five million easy. I would have made more than my rookie contract in the NBA, so why not stay?”</p><p>Cousins had quite the accomplishments even in his one-and-done year with the Wildcats. He won the 2009-10 SEC Rookie of the Year, the All-SEC team and a consensus All-American. At this time, name, image, and likeness (NIL) hadn’t come to fruition yet. Players weren’t getting paid anything to play at a university. However, Cousins’s journey changed after a heart-to-heart conversation with head coach John Calipari.</p><p>“Cal told me, ‘If you want to take care of my family, you can stay,'” Cousins said. “If you want to take care of yours, you’re out of here.’ That’s real. And it took a coach like him to understand both sides. We’ve all heard the horror stories of coaches holding guys back, and they miss their shot (to get in the NBA). Cal understood it was bigger than basketball—it was about life.”</p><p>Once he left Lexington, Cousins blossomed into a superstar. As the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, he went to the Sacramento Kings where he put them on the map. Cousins averaged 21.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and three assists per game. His mix of bully-ball in the low post, along with his face-up game made him a mold for future NBA centers to follow.</p><h2>Why would Demarcus Cousins stay with Kentucky basketball?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Demarcus-Cousins-reveals-what-wouldve-kept-him-at-Kentucky.jpg"><figcaption>© Crystal LoGiudice-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Although DeMarcus Cousins was paid in the NBA, his rookie contract wasn’t so sweet. He signed a four-year, $15.8 million contract. Current 2024 first-overall pick <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-2024-nba-draft-grade-for-zaccharie-risacher">Zaccharie Risacher inked a four-year, $57 million</a> contract. Even though money continues in the NBA thanks to time, however, the NCAA implemented NIL in 2021. Athletes and programs are banking on NIL, especially when <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/illinois-basketball-news-coleman-hawkins-7-figure-nil-demands-transfer-portal-nba-draft-withdrawal">they recommit to a university after declaring for the NBA Draft</a>. </p><p>With programs like Georgia football investing over $20 million in NIL money, the structure of college athletics has changed. Bigger and bigger programs are funneling money into NIL to obtain a National championship. Some of Cousins’s teammates would’ve had a similar outlook too. Guards Eric Bledsoe and John Wall were also with Cousins at Kentucky. The former Kentucky big man hit a sentiment that too many previous college players might feel.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2021-22 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
8.9	5.5	1.7	0.4	0.6

2021-22 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
8.9	5.5	1.7	0.4	0.6

Demarcus Cousins

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Kentucky basketball alum DeMarcus Cousins reveals what would have kept him in school 4 years

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