“Charles Barkley is really who I feel like I played like.”: DeMarcus Cousins Says He Emulated Suns Legend in Interview With Kevin Garnett

DeMarcus Cousins at one point was one of the most feared centers in the NBA. The former Kentucky Wildcat was known for his all-around ability and ferocity in the paint. He was destined to be a superstar from the moment he entered the league.

Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go his way. Having been drafted in 2010 by the Sacramento Kings, Boogie’s first seven seasons in the league were exceptional. But, injury struck in 2018 and to say that he hasn’t been the same ever since would be an understatement.

Nevertheless, it is important to remember just how good a player he was. So, a question comes to mind. Who did Cousins’ play style most resemble? Well, when asked the question, DeMarcus himself, had a variety of answers, but he finally fixed on one person, Charles Barkley.

DeMarcus Cousins claims his style of play is most similar to that of Charles Barkley

DeMarcus Cousins is fondly remembered as one of the most gifted players the NBA has ever seen. The four-time All-Star was known for a variety of things. Most notably, his skill as a player and his tendency to be a bit temperamental.

However, it is also safe to say that at one point in time, he was a Top-5 big man in the league. The kind of player that every franchise wanted on their roster. Why? Because he possessed similar qualities to some of the greats. Qualities, he himself noted on Kevin Garnett’s podcast, KG Certified.

Speaking to the Big Ticket, Boogie shared his thoughts on his style of play. He named a variety of players he used as inspiration. However, the one player he felt he bared the most resemblance to is Charles Barkley.

“So the way I was coming up, like, it was never one guy I wanted to specifically be like. I was a fan of certain guys and I took something from each guy I f***ed with. You obviously…the tenacity. Melo being his size…being able to move the way he does. That was my influence on the offensive side of the ball. Pau Gasol being able to do the different things with the ball. Pass…being able to shoot…very solid player. Amar’e with his explosiveness. Just attacking the rim the way he did. Then it was Shaq with his dominance. The guy that I felt was a combination of all that, was Charles Barkley. Who is really who I feel like I play like. I was a bigger version of him, but we play similar.”

An interesting take, but the irony is unreal. After all, it was only six years ago that Cousins claimed he had no respect for The Round Mound of Rebound.

Boogie Cousins once said he had no respect nor will he ever respect Charles Barkley

He may believe his play style is similar to Charles Barkley’s, but it is hard to forget that DeMarcus Cousins wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of Sir Charles.

Not so long ago, following some criticism from the Chuckster, Cousins announced that he has no respect for the Hall of Famer, and he never will.

It’s pretty obvious that they had some serious beef. Hopefully, they have squashed it. Especially since Boogie seems to have shown some form of “respect” recently.