Make America Boogie Again: Team USA reportedly offers spot to Cousins
It's the first reported official spot for handed to a player leading up to the Rio Games
By
Matt Moore
•
1 min read
Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins' Team USA tenure hasn't been without drama. The big man was cut in 2012 after Team USA head Jerry Colangelo questioned his maturity, publicly. Cousins was reportedly set to be the backup to Mason Plumlee two years ago after early practices (something Coach K denied) but Cousins separated himself that year, and went on to win Gold at the FIBA World Championships as the starting center.
Now, it appears he's left that drama behind him, as the Undefeated reported Friday that Cousins has been informed he'll be on the roster not just for camp (which he was already selected for), but for the actual Olympic roster, without having to earn a spot.
Kings' DeMarcus Cousins has been told he has earned a roster spot on USA Basketball's 2016 Rio Olympics team, a source told The Undefeated.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) June 10, 2016
It's the first reported official spot for a player, though obviously there are others (Kevin Durant, LeBron James) who if they chose to play in Rio will automatically be in. With the kind of injuries and absences from big men like Anthony Davis, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Blake Griffin, it's no wonder that Cousins is an automatic in.
It's also a testament to the growth he's shown as a professional over the past four years and makes you wonder how much of the poison in the well of the Kings is Cousins and how much is the team and situation. It's certainly much different within the confines of Team USA (Kenneth Faried is a highly valued hustle-junkie, for example, while in Denver he's rapidly losing minutes to younger players). It's certainly interesting that Cousins has come so far as to gain that kind of respect from the best team in the world.
In conclusion, Team USA has decided to Make America Boogie Again.
For more on Team USA, check our our roster rundown.
