Apr 21, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center DeMarcus Cousins (4) in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors during game three of the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

DeMarcus Cousins Makes Bold Statement About NBA Legend

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 7:07 PM ET

The former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is looking forward to his next run on the court. As he gets prepared for the Mets de Guaynabo, he continues to speak on the game from an analyst's lens.

The NBA competitive nature is certainly still there for Cousins. Recently, he was asked about which NBA player in history he would like to face in a one-on-one setting. Cousins name-dropped Wilt Chamberlain, and he is confident that he would take down the legend.

“I’m getting busy, I know that,” Chamberlain said. “I know he ain’t staying in front of me, but I just got to see it for myself.”

Cousins went on to reference Chamberlain’s historic 100-point game, which occurred in the 60s. While it’s well-documented, there is no video evidence of the matchup, leaving many to question whether the performance was valid or not. Cousins wishes he could go back and see for himself.

“I wish I could be a part of that 100-point game, that exact game. I need to see it for myself,” he continued. “That's what I need to know, exactly where I want to go. He was athletic. I mean, that was a given. So I'm sure he'll get some dunks, so I'm gonna go 11-6.”

Cousins picks himself as the hypothetical winner.

While that statement may come off as laughable to some, many forget what Cousins was doing in the NBA before he went down with multiple major injuries. In 2010, Cousins left Kentucky for the NBA Draft. The Sacramento Kings picked him up with the fifth-overall pick.

By year three, Cousins was a full-time starter for the Kings. He averaged a double-double in five different seasons with the Kings. During the 2016-2017 run, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. Cousins continued his streak of double-double averages up until his 2018-2019 run in Golden State.

From that point on, Cousins struggled to find a long-term setting. He played for the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Denver Nuggets. His final run with the Nuggets in 2021-2022 would last 31 games. He averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds then.

Overall, Cousins played in 654 games during his NBA tenure. He posted averages of 19.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists. and 1.1 blocks per game. He was a four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA Second Team, and a two-time gold medalist (2016 Olympics, 2014 World Cup).