Former Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins knows exactly how dangerous superstar Stephen Curry can be. The obvious question for the Golden State Warriors for the upcoming season is Stephen Curry’s health.
While he’s projected to return fully healed from his hamstring injury, it will be interesting to see if he can stay on the floor for a long period, given his history of physical issues. But when Curry is 100%, there’s no question that he can almost singlehandedly lead the Warriors. At 37 years old, he remains the team’s barometer.
When he went down in their second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in last season’s playoffs, it spelled doom for Golden State. For former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins, who played one season with the Warriors, it’s never a good call to write off Curry and company. He said he can still see the Larry O’Brien Trophy returning to the Bay Area.
“You combine the history of this team, with Steph Curry, Draymond (Green), Steve Kerr, and you add a winner like Jimmy Butler to that puzzle, it’s giving some type of success,” said Cousins on “Run it Back.”
“I do think they have a chance at getting one more (title) before this dynasty is actually over. You know, the guys are up in age, things of that nature, but they’re talented enough, they’re experienced enough, and they’re good enough to get another in the next couple of years.” The Warriors have been shy about admitting that they’re maximizing their window with Curry.
Last season, he reached at least 70 games for the second straight campaign. He, however, saw his scoring dip to 24.5 points—his lowest since 2017-18, excluding his five-game stint in 2019-20. The team hasn’t made big moves this offseason to surround the two-time MVP with more talent.
Still, the 35-year-old Cousins, who last played in Puerto Rico, stressed that Golden State will always be a contender as long as “Chef Curry” is in the kitchen.
“One thing about the Warriors, when they have a good defensive team, they’re always a threat. They’re always gonna be a threat with Steph Curry,” said the four-time All-Star.
The Warriors finished with a 48-34 record last season and returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence.
DeMarcus Cousins argues Stephen Curry is a top-five player in NBA history: “We are talking about a guy that literally changed basketball”
Steph’s greatness isn’t luck, it’s work.
Despite all the accolades that he has compiled over his 16-year NBA career, highlighted by four NBA titles, two Most Valuable Player trophies and numerous three-point shooting marks in the league’s record books, some corners still diminish Steph Curry’s place on all-time lists.
Whether it’s because of his slight frame, which pales in comparison to the chiseled, muscled physiques of traditional superstars, or his perimeter-oriented playing style, there are still those who question Curry’s place among the greatest players in basketball history. But according to one of his former teammates, DeMarcus Cousins, these doubters are just plain wrong.
In a recent interview on the “Straight Game Podcast,” Cousins passionately argued for Curry’s inclusion in any conversation about the top-five players in NBA history, claiming this is a man who changed the way basketball is played at all levels.
A definite top-five player
When it comes to all-time top-five lists, the first two players mentioned are always Michael Jordan and LeBron James. The remaining three are always up for debate. However, if you ask Cousins, who played with Curry on the Golden State Warriors during the 2018-19 season, the latter’s place in the top five is a no-brainer.
“I don’t really know how these rankings work, man. I don’t know what’s required to be put where and where, but that dude better be somewhere in the top five, man,” the big man emphasized.
“We’re talking about a guy that literally changed basketball. He’s done it in a 6’2″, 6’3″ frame. He’s not the most athletic, and he’s found a way to literally change the game and dominate at the same time and win,” Boogie continued.
The NBA is now thriving in the pace-and-space era. It’s a time when every NBA team seeks to take and make as many three-pointers as possible. While different teams from previous eras took this route, no player and team have done it more dominantly than the Warriors, shooting their way to the top in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
After suffering an Achilles injury in January 2018, Cousins shocked the NBA world when he signed with the powerhouse Warriors in July of that same year. While many teams passed up on him as he recovered from the debilitating injury, Golden State’s decision-makers knew how much of an impact he would make once he got back on his feet.
As DeMarcus worked his way back to 100 percent, he saw how incredibly hard Steph and the rest of his superstar teammates worked. Despite their achievements and lofty statures, it was clear to Boogie that they were hungry for more.
“I’m now with the Warriors, and it’s not just, you know, a superstar, another super — it’s like superstars. It’s Steph. It’s KD. It’s Klay. It’s Dray,” he recalled. “It’s KD on one court, it’s Klay on this court, it’s Steph on this court, and it’s just like… man, I don’t even — it’s like fireworks, bro. It’s just like a show. Basket after basket, and these guys are going game speed every single rep.”
Boogie, though, asserted that on a team filled with All-Stars, Steph was just on another level.
“All of us warm up before the game. There’s only one dude that gets an audience for his warmup,” he stressed. “So that just goes to show, you know, the effort, the intensity that he goes through every rep with. Like, all of that is on display every single rep.”
At 37, Steph still has plenty left in the tank, but whispers about his eventual retirement have begun to surface. While his exceptional physical conditioning keeps him at the top of his game, even the greatest athletes can’t outrun Father Time. For basketball fans and skeptics alike, it’s a reminder to savor every moment Curry steps onto the court, whether it’s during the regular season or the playoffs.
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