DeMarcus Cousins, Pope Boogie for America

There was a time that the NBA ran on the gospel of the big man, with the likes of David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, and Patrick Ewing roaming NBA paints.

DeMarcus Cousins is not them, yet. Those men are legendary Hall of Famers, it’s unfair to predicate success on meeting that bar—especially when the game has changed so much.

For better or worse, the Sacramento Kings have tied their fate to the development of Cousins. And looking at all the raw talent he holds, it’s easy to see why. Last year things began to click for Cousins, who found it easier to navigate the strong side overloads and weak side zone principles designed to keep the ball away from the paint.

DeMarcus Cousins’ 22.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, on a 26.18 Player Efficiency Rating, holds its own respectably against the work of past greats. But team success remains elusive, and because of that, and a reputation for being surly on the court, individual accolades have been slow to come.

Playing for Team USA this summer could go a long way in dispelling some of Cousins’ bad reputation. Backing up Anthony Davis, Cousins is in his first non-toxic (in basketball terms) environment since leaving college. Other players have been able to use their time with Team USA to make leaps in work ethic, leadership, and overall play. He’s garnered praise from a coaching staff that seemed on the verge of cutting him earlier this summer.

Can he use this time to reconnect the world with the lost institution of classic NBA Centers? Trust in Boogie.