“It’s hard believing in yourself when nobody else does”: DeMarcus Cousins claims he’s contemplated retiring from the NBA

DeMarcus Cousins says that he has thought about retiring from the NBA following his major career altering injuries from years past. 

The NBA is one of the most physical sports in the league and yet a simple leap no more than a foot off the ground could alter the course of an athlete’s career for decades to come. DeMarcus Cousins has dealt the short end of the stick multiple times throughout his career in terms of injuries and also the timing of those injuries. 

Cousins’s first encounter with a major injury was back in January of 2018 in his first year with the New Orleans Pelicans alongside Anthony Davis. The ‘Twin Towers’ concept seemed intriguing and could’ve worked with Davis and Cousins but was cut short due to the latter rupturing his Achilles tendon.

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He would go on to sign with the Warriors but would tear his quad midway through the 2019 Playoffs. The ultimate stroke of horrible luck struck during the 2019 offseason when he tore his ACL while playing pick-up to get his body right for the 2019-20 NBA season. 

DeMarcus Cousins says it’s hard to continue playing in the NBA when nobody believes in him. 

DeMarcus Cousins has now been relegated to a much smaller role on the Los Angeles Clippers after having a stint with the Lakers, a team he wouldn’t play a single minute for due to his ACL injury. After having gone through multiple surgeries and rehabs, Cousins claims he’s contemplated retiring from the NBA altogether. 

“This s**t is hard bro. It’s hard knowing what you can do. It’s hard believing in yourself when nobody else believes in you.”

Boogie sometimes questions if he still wants to play in the league.

(via @TheUndefeated) pic.twitter.com/ozqKI2vzZW

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 29, 2021

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After being labelled as the best big-man in the league due to his ‘modern center’ type of play coupled with the strength and post-moves of a big-man from the 80s, DeMarcus Cousins averages less than 15 minutes a game for a Los Angeles Clippers team that lacks depth in the postseason.  

A glimmer of hope for the former Kings All-Star is his shooting. Though his defense and his offensive package is limited, his ability to stretch the floor is vital when going deep within a postseason. His 15 points in Game 4 prove that there is still space in the league for DeMarcus Cousins.