DeMarcus Cousins Replaces Kobe Bryant on Western Conference NBA All-Star Team
After initially being snubbed from the Western Conference's NBA All-Star team, it turns out that Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins will be making the trip to New York City after all.
According to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, the 24-year-old big man will replace injured Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant on the roster:
Cousins' former college coach, John Calipari, took to Instagram to congratulate him on the All-Star spot:
Cousins was so excited upon learning the news, he didn't know what game he was playing in, per Jones:
While the Kings are struggling, Cousins is in the midst of a career year. He is averaging nearly 24 points and more than 12 rebounds per game, which puts him in elite company.
Per ESPN Stats & Info, he is one of only three players in the NBA putting up over 20 points and 10 boards per contest:
At first, many were shocked when coaches and fans declined to send Cousins to the All-Star Game, including Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond. He also noted one of the conference's other biggest snubs, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard:
After learning that he missed the cut yet again, Lillard certainly wasn't pleased, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian:
"I'm definitely going to take it personal. I said I'd be pissed off about it. And I am. I just felt disrespected. Because I play the game the right way, I play unselfishly, I play for my team to win games and I produce at a high level. I think what I bring to the game as a person, my makeup mentally, how I am toward my teammates, how I am toward the media, how I am toward fans; I think what an All-Star represents in this league, and what you would want people to look at as an All-Star, I think I make up all those things. For me to be having the type of season that I'm having, which is better than any one that I've had before, and my team to be third in the Western Conference, I just see it as disrespect.
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While Lillard took the snub personally, Cousins seemed unconcerned. Before the All-Star announcements, the former Kentucky Wildcats standout was quite indifferent about the entire situation, per Jones.
"To be totally honest, it is what it is," Cousins said. "If I make it, I make it. If I don't, I don't."
Cousins did ultimately make it, and there is no question that he deserved the nod.
If not for Cousins' presence, the Kings would certainly be much worse than their current 16-28 record. When Sacramento ultimately takes that next step and becomes a playoff contender, Cousins will be a huge part of it.
While this will mark the first All-Star Game appearance of his career, the fact that Cousins continues to improve with each passing year suggests this is simply the first of many.
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