15 DeMarcus Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins was born DeMarcus Amir Cousins on August 13, 1990, in Mobile, Alabama, to Monique Cousins. At LeFlore Magnet High School, the 6-foot-11 center led his team to the Alabama Class 6A Final Four and averaged 24.1 points and 13.2 rebounds as a senior. He was a first-team Parade All-American, played in the 2009 McDonald’s All-American Game, Nike Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand Classic, and was ranked by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect. Cousins initially committed to UAB and later Memphis before reopening his recruitment and following John Calipari to Kentucky.

Nicknamed “Boogie,” Cousins immediately became one of the most imposing players in college basketball. He averaged 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks despite playing only 23.5 minutes per game, helping Kentucky finish 35-3 and win both the SEC regular-season and tournament championships. His combination of strength, footwork and intensity made him a dominant presence around the basket and an ideal complement to fellow freshman John Wall. Cousins earned consensus All-America recognition along with All-SEC, SEC All-Freshman, SEC Tournament and NCAA All-Region honors.

Cousins announced his arrival in only his third game as a Wildcat, scoring a career-high 27 points and grabbing 18 rebounds against Sam Houston State. On December 21, 2009, he produced 18 points and 13 rebounds in just 14 minutes as Kentucky defeated Drexel, 88-44, for the 2,000th victory in program history. He later helped the Wildcats advance to the Elite Eight of the 2010 NCAA Tournament, where their memorable season ended with a loss to West Virginia.

After one season at Kentucky, Cousins entered the 2010 NBA draft and was selected fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings. He earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors and developed into one of the league’s premier centers, receiving four consecutive NBA All-Star selections from 2015 through 2018 and twice being named to the All-NBA Second Team. Cousins also won gold medals with the United States at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. He was inducted into the Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.