Another NBA Summer League Update, Cousins Gains More Praise

Prior to the Kings game, former Princeton coach and big man specialist, Pete Carril, sat down and spoke about DeMarcus Cousins. Talk about some praise for Big Cuz.

“I’ve been in the league 17 years now and he is the first, and perhaps the only, original, different type of player that I’ve seen,” said Carril. “All of these guys, I’ve seen that pivot move, I’ve seen that move 100 times, I’ve seen that move 100 times, I’ve seen the same thing all of the time. This guy is a good passer. This guy is original, he has different ideas on how to play the game. He throws nice passes, he takes shots at the top of the key and they go in. If he gets doubled, he’s finding somebody. He has to run a little harder, but in terms of what you can do with a guy like that, it’s incredible. There are certain things you can’t teach, and he does all of them.”

Cousins followed up Carril’s strong words by once again impressing. Big Cuz is the story of the Las Vegas Summer League. At the 1:30 mark in the 4th quarter, Chris Webber, who was a great passer as a big man, was nearly at a loss for words after Cousins dribbled from the left wing into the paint and found a wide open Dionte Christmas at the right wing.

He tried to not be a Sacremento homer, “Man I wish I didn’t play for Sacramento so I could really say what I feel about this guy,” said Webber. “This guy, to me, I know it’s summer league. But this guy, he saw earlier that he had a man wide open, the point guard didn’t get it to him, so he said you know what, I’ll get it over to him for the three.”

I knew Cousins was a great passer. I knew he had unreal footwork and hands for a big man. But, he is really impressing me with his face-up game. That is something we didn’t see too much of during his time at Kentucky.

With under ten seconds remaining, the Kings trailed 78-77 and Cousins called for the ball just outside of the right block. He faces, he bounces right, he backs him up, spins back right and knocks down a right-handed jump hook from 12 feet to put the Kings up with 2.8 seconds. Kings win.

Special. He wanted the shot. That is what was impressive. You can’t guard that. If you double then he will find open cutters to the basket. Beast mode.

Big “Boogie” Cousins finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds. He was 9-for-17 from the field with 5 assists, 4 steals and 5 turnovers.

Cousins spoke after the game.

“Basically, I started feeling it at the end,” said Cousins. “I wanted the ball in my hands. Coach drew up some plays to get me the ball and I was just making plays.”

He was asked about talking on the floor.

“They got me going, so I mean, I love to talk on the floor. We were just out there talking, but it was all in good fun.”

On what he is working on.

“I’m basically trying to learn my role on the team. Be a post man and give coach everything he wants. Just play my role, basically.”

How much have you worked on your passing game?

“Passing is just something I’ve been able to do for a long time. You know I really don’t know where I got it from. I just do it and I use it to my advantage when they double-team me.”

After the game, Webber spoke about Cousins some more.

“He has it, I don’t know where he got it from. He don’t know where he got it from. But, it’s a joy to watch him and he can only get better if he works hard. What impressed me the most was the way he played from start to finish. He didn’t try to score seven possessions in a row at any point in the game. He didn’t try to show us that he could get ten assists at any time in the game. He let the game come to him.”

Cousins play in Vegas is being given its proper due as well. NBA.com has a running feature called the “Rookie Ladder” that lists the top first year players based on their performance to date. With his game winner and third consecutive double-double, he vaulted himself to the top spot. John Wall is #3, and I would not be surprised if the top male college athlete ESPY winner comes out with a big performance today to reclaim the #1 ranking.  Wall was slated to attend the ESPY’s, but cancelled late because he preffered to stay with his team and make this week about basketball.  John Wall makes the right move again.

LeBron James is noticing the play of Wall and Cousins as well. On his newly minted Twitter page, LeBron tweeted for only the 15th time about the two former ‘Cats:

Give me John Wall or DeMarcus Cousins for ROY this year. Them young cats been balling in Summer League

D-Cuz wasn’t the only one playing on Wednesday night. Here are some other highlights.

Patrick Patterson, or as we are now calling him “P Twice”, scored only six points in his fourth and final summer league game, but he did a little bit of everything in his 34 minutes of action. He pulled down 10 rebounds, dished out 4 assists, and blocked 2 shots, while turning the ball over 3 times and committing 5 fouls. He was 0-for-3 from deep. The Rockets also gave the Nuggets their first loss of summer play, 82-75. In the aforementioned Rookie Ladder, Patterson finds himself at #6.

The Clippers jumped out to 10-0 lead over the Bulls, but struggled the rest of the way and fell, 79-50. Bledsoe struggled for the Clips, scoring just 4 points in 33 minutes. He was 1-for-6 from the floor, pulled down an impressive 5 boards, had 2 assists and 2 steals. Turnovers were still an issue as he turned the ball over 7 times.

Samardo Samuels was effective in 22 minutes, despite committing 8 fouls. He finished with 6 points, on 3-for-7 shooting, and pulled down 9 boards.

Earl Clark had 13 points in the Suns’ 93-82 loss to the Cavs. He also had 2 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

Randolph Morris finished with 11 points and 2 rebounds in the Hawks 89-84 loss to the Spurs.

Tomorrow you can watch John Wall and the Wizards vs. the Mavs at 8:00 on NBA TV. And that will be followed by Bledose and the Clippers as they face the Blazers at 10:00. That game will also be on NBA TV.