High School: LeFlore High School Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Nike Hoop Summit, High School Prospects April 16, 2009 Cousins really struggled in this game, despite the number of impressive tools he displayed during the week. There is a lot to like about his game, but a different approach would go a long way for him as a prospect.
Offensively, Cousins shows a great feel for the game, and assisted cutting guards multiple times in the game from the high post. In addition, he shoots the ball effectively to 20 feet, and can even face the basket and drive to the hoop a little bit as well. On the other hand, he needs to become a tougher player in the low post. The talented big tends to play below the rim and miss easy baskets inside, lacking the touch and toughness necessary to really take full advantage of his size inside.
Physically, he has a massive frame with good strength, and above average agility as well. He may be a bit on the heavy side as well, but nothing a little time in the weight room can't solve. Like Sidney, he needs to focus on becoming a tougher and more serious player. With his tools, he could become a very good player both in college and at the NBA level, but a greater degree of focus is needed from him. As one scout put it "with a lot of the bigs in this class, you are reminded of Eddy Curry one too many times." [Read Full Article] Player Evaluations, McDonald’s All-American Game (East Team) April 4, 2009
Jim Hlavac, DraftExpress
DeMarcus Cousins (#6 Scout, #2 Rivals, #4 ESPN¬) had an up and down week of practices followed by an average showing in the actual game on Wednesday, showing his many strengths and weaknesses as a prospect. Regardless of how he looks on any given night, he’s a tremendous presence on both ends of the court due to his outstanding size and freakish length. His wingspan allows him to finish around the basket with the greatest of ease, which is good considering that he’s not much of a leaper due to his average explosiveness and conditioning-level.
Offensively, Cousins can do many different things, including hit 3-pointers, put the ball on the deck and create shots for himself on his own, which is a very unique thing considering his size. He tends to fall in love with his perimeter skills, though, not really showing the basketball IQ needed to take advantage of his many gifts, although that’s something he’ll surely be able to figure out down the road. Defensively he offered very little this week, looking mostly disinterested in putting an effort in. He’ll need to get himself into much better shape if he wants to see big minutes in a system like John Calipari’s, but that’s exactly what these guys go to school for.
HoopHall Classic Scouting Reports, Part Three January 23, 2009 After an excellent showing on national TV just a few days prior to this event, DeMarcus Cousins (#6 Scout, #2 Rivals, #4 ESPN) reverted back to showing the questionable reputation he’s developed over the past few years with the obvious red flags he shows on the court.
The potential, as always, is incredibly obvious. With a massive frame, long arms, great size and terrific fluidity and mobility considering his build, Cousins has not only the physical attributes of an NBA big man, but also many of the skills. He has great touch both facing and with his back to the basket, hitting a number of outside shots as well as some excellent hook shots and turnaround jumpers in the lane. He can also create his own shot beautifully from the high post, putting the ball on the floor nicely, and pivoting and spinning into a gorgeous finger roll. Few big men at the college level, let alone high school, can create their own shot with such ease both inside and outside the paint, which is what makes him so unique.
The problem is that everything else he does on the court makes him stand out just as much, and not in a positive way. Cousins was matched up with a very tough and physical defender in Maryland bound James Padgett, and he looked extremely frustrated with the contact he was forced to take around the basket. Padgett bodied him up all game long and really got underneath Cousins’ skin, causing him to get extremely distracted. His questionable conditioning came into play already in the first quarter, as he began sucking wind very early on, and he became completely exhausted in the fourth quarter, walking around with his hands on his hips. He repeatedly settled for tough fade-away jumpers outside the paint, and much preferred to hang out on the perimeter rather than deal with the contact from Padgett inside.
Defensively, Cousins put little to no effort in, showing very poor fundamentals and obviously saving himself for his team’s offensive possessions. He was always the last player getting back up the floor, sometimes just not making his way over at all, something that surprisingly happened both on the offensive and defensive end. He looked extremely lazy throughout the game, giving up the distinct impression that he just wasn’t interested in playing.
Even though he’s obviously a big talent, Cousins isn’t that much of a sure-fire NBA lock to be mailing it in just yet. He’s just an average athlete at best by NBA standards, showing underwhelming leaping ability and just-decent quickness getting up and down the floor. There have been plenty of similarly ranked high school big men (see James Lang, DeAngelo Collins, Jackie Butler, etc) who never panned out despite racking up huge accolades as prep players, so he’s not yet reached the point that he can flip the light switch on and off whenever he pleases. Hopefully this is just a product of Cousins’ youth, and he will mature in college (he’s reportedly a lock for Memphis according to the word here) and fulfill his immense potential. [Read Full Article] Battle In Birmingham: DeMarcus Cousins vs Derrick Favors January 16, 2009 Cousins (#2 Rivals, #6 Scout, #4 ESPN) wasn't quite as dominant statistically as Favors, though he offered a vastly superior skill set during his performance. It was at times shocking to see a player of his stature move around the hardwood so gracefully while maintaining great body control and court presence. This game served as a reminder of how good Cousins can ultimately become if he exerts consistent effort and maximizes his talents.
The physical package is certainly there for DeMarcus, whether he opts to play power forward or center at the next level. Every bit of 6'10, he is already a massive 270 pounds and has a freakish wingspan that was measured at 7'6 at the 2008 LeBron James Skills Academy. Though carrying a bit of extra weight, he is surprisingly nimble and possesses solid quickness both laterally and off the dribble. Equally as impressive is his ability to get off of the ground, leaving some optimism as to how good of a leaper he could ultimately become if he toned his body. Cousins runs the floor well at times, but there are also instances when his sub-par conditioning and desire come into play, and he is one of the last players down the hardwood.
The Alabama native's offensive game is largely based around his ability to face the basket, which can be frustrating at times. He showed off a very smooth, effortless jumper from the perimeter against South Atlanta's 2-3 zone, drilling one 3-pointer and a number of 17-19 foot jumpers. He exhibited the ability to take Favors off of the dribble with his nifty perimeter skills, exhibited by a gorgeous drive to the rim that finished with a spin move and power dunk. There were a number of other drives to the rim and instances of the big man handling the ball in the open court that were awfully impressive, though it made one ponder if that is really what they want a player of his size doing on a consistent basis.
Even more impressive though was Cousins’ ability to pass the ball. Constantly keeping his head up, he was able to find the open man on a regular basis when faced with a double team. The stat sheet reflected this based on his 5 assists with one lone turnover, and the senior could have had a handful more assists had his teammates done a better job of finishing. This ability is going to translate immediately at the collegiate level due to the fact that at all of the programs recruiting him (with the exception of Wake Forest and Louisville), he will likely be the focal point of the post offense and will certainly be faced with multiple defenders consistently.
It is often times frustrating to see Cousins hang out on the perimeter as frequently as he does, when he could really be a massive force in the pivot if he desired to do so. Granted South Atlanta's compacted zone forced him out on the perimeter more often this game, but he is a player who still feels more comfortable doing his damage outside then in the paint. Even in the other times we observed, he opted to go to turnaround jumpers out of the post rather than power moves, which needs to change if he wants to become the dominant big man he has the potential to be.
There is a considerable amount of potential in Cousins as a defender, with the natural gifts and size he was blessed with. Showing very nice timing, he is able to block (and alter) a large number of shots with his big body and long arms. Likewise, Cousins is able to take up a ton of space around the rim with that body for rebounding, though he tends to rely on his size a bit much at times instead of fundamental boxing out. His rotations were very good last night, as seen by the two charges that he drew against South Atlanta players. How good of a defender Cousins wants to be is going to eventually come down to what sort of effort he chooses to exert on this end.
Cousins will have the opportunity to immediately come in and make a considerable impact at any of the schools that he has listed, given his combination of size, length, and offensive skills. His effort lapses and conditioning must improve if he hopes to reach his maximum draft potential, but he is certainly a player who will be closely followed by NBA scouts next season. As for where the big man will actually play next year, much still depends on whether or not UAB retains Mike Davis for 09-10. If they keep the former Indiana coach around for another campaign, it would be tough to see him landing anywhere else. However, without any assurance that Davis will be in Birmingham next season, this big man could very well take his services elsewhere—maybe even to Europe. [Read Full Article]
LeBron James Skills Academy Final Day July 14, 2007 Cousins showed off the game of the skilled power forward that he is finally at the LeBron camp, seeming to finally get it through his head that he is much better suited on the blocks then he his hanging around the perimeter all day. The passing and ball handling skills that he showed off were unbelievable for a player standing 6’9 and nearly 250 lbs. He is a nightmare to guard on the offensive end, able to take slower defenders off of the dribble from the wing, but also able to kill you in post with his remarkably soft touch.
Trent Penny/The Anniston Star
Already owning an NBA body, Cousins made his presence felt on the defensive end with his outstanding timing and nice wingspan to block shots. He is smart and skilled, allowing him to stay out of foul trouble while still making his impact felt on both ends of the floor. UAB is rumored to be the slight leader for this big, as he has had a very long relationship with coach Mike Davis. He could very well be the piece to take UAB to the top of Conference USA, alongside Memphis. [Read Full Article]
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