Have you ever wondered what a star does after it falls? Once it burns out, what next? Can that star be reborn, or does it pretend it were a cloud, nitrogen, or some other particle in the great beyond?
As news broke of another catastrophic lower extremity injury for DeMarcus Cousins, there was a feeling in my gut this may be it. A torn ACL is the prognosis of the “6’9” big man from Kentucky who has rampaged through the NBA during his tenure. Cousins has used style, force, and grace to go along with his High Basketball IQ that would put him on any Top 5 for this decade.
What does that mean now? Once again, he will be sitting on the sidelines in plain clothes as the team he signed with marches along without him. Once again he will put himself through every rigor of physical therapy to get back to the court. Once again pundents will reiterate his nastiness to previous organizations and front offices.
But what about DeMarcus Cousins?
What goes through the mind of a 28/29 year old man who has made a living on the basketball court during the prime of his career? DeMarcus has been able to watch player after player shoot through the sky and out of our sight in a moments notice. Will he be able to keep his mind in tact to rehabilitate yet again? Who are those around him that are willing to stick with Demarcus through this process? I imagine the ones around him have been there since the beginning.
Should Boogie retire? No. This is not the time to retire, yet it is the perfect time to transition into his next phase of living. Demarcus does wonder in every community he has been a part of, so there is no doubt his philanthropy will take him far once his playing days are done. Will DeMarcus start blogging? Behind the scenes with UnInterrupted, or maybe even a few guest appearances on TNT or Espn Radio. He may not have as many hot-takes as Ryan Hollins, but Cousins could provide some insight on his journey through these injuries.
Being in the spotlight isn’t something Cousins seeks out, but it may be beneficial for his psyche if he is able to talk about what he has gone through these past few seasons. The pressure from the outside world plus his own expectations could be troublesome for an athlete of his caliber. We have been conditioned to only concern ourselves with what a player can do for us, but in this case, we should all support DeMarcus through this process again.
Though we have watched former All-stars come back from various knee injuries and have productive careers, there are many who never return to the bench.
Maybe it won’t be about if he can get 20 and 10. Maybe it doesn’t end with a championship ring. Maybe this is the time in which DeMarcus continues to build upon his legacy off the court.
SouthernFriedSushi 