Even though he’s been battling injuries for the past few seasons, DeMarcus Cousins is one of the best big men in the game. His versatility is what makes him one of the best in the league. He also has a bit of a temper on the court as well.

If he can remain healthy and play long enough, he might be No. 1 on this list when his career is over.

Why DeMarcus Cousins is one of the best in the game

At 6-foot-10 270 pounds, Cousins can move well for a big man. He displayed his abilities in college at the University of Kentucky, where he played under John Calipari. After spending one season at Kentucky, Cousins decided to enter the NBA draft. In 2010 the Sacramento Kings selected him with the fifth overall pick. In his first NBA season, he averaged 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

His numbers continued to improve throughout his career, and he quickly became Sacramento’s best player. He would establish himself as a double-double machine and was the go-to guy for the Kings. Cousins made the all-star team three straight years with the Kings. Even though Cousins had a lot of individual success, his team wasn’t producing. During his last four seasons in Sacramento, he averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.

It was time for Cousins to move on, and he joined the New Orleans Pelicans, where he teamed up with Anthony Davis. There was a lot of hype surrounding the two big men as the Pelicans had one of the best frontcourts in the NBA. Cousins continued to play at a high-level in New Orleans, making the all-star team and continuing to be a double-double machine.

DeMarcus Cousins battling injuries

Cousins has had to deal with some serious injuries in the last few seasons. Cousins was having a strong season until the end of January during the 2017-18 season in New Orleans. He suffered a torn left Achilles and would miss the remainder of the season. When he suffered that injury, many teams backed away from offering him a contract over health concerns.

But there was one team that did offer him, and that was the Golden State Warriors. He signed with a loaded Warriors team for one year, and his contract was worth $5.3 million. Cousins made his debut with the Warriors on January 18, 2019, where he scored 14 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Warriors benefitted from having Cousins because the team needed a center. Going into the playoffs, Cousins looked to be a key contributor for the Warriors when he tore his left quad in the first round of the playoffs.

He was out indefinitely, and he made his return during the NBA finals against the Toronto Raptors. After spending one season with the Warriors, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. He tore his ACL in preseason workouts, and the Lakers waived him in February. So, Cousins is currently not on an NBA team.

DeMarcus Cousins has been ejected from a number of games

If Cousins can stay healthy, there’s no question that he can be on any team in the league. When he was playing and healthy, he was known for getting into it with the referees. He currently is second on the list of most ejections with 13. The one person ahead of him is Rasheed Wallace, with 29.

Cousins can reach that number if he can stay healthy throughout the remainder of his career. It seems as though there’s always that one referee that Cousins has an issue with, and before you know it, he’s out of the game. It will be interesting to see if he can stay healthy and surpass Wallace on that list.