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Ex-NBA Star Reveals He Wanted Pistons to Draft Him For One Key Reason

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Svyato Rovenchuk | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 8:25 PM ET

The Detroit Pistons had a rough track record of drafting in the 2010s. There were a couple of moments that could be qualified as redemptive. Overall, though, it was nothing to write home about.

The Pistons started off the decade on a lackluster note, selecting Greg Monroe in the 2010 NBA Draft. Monroe showed some initial promise early on in his career, but the league quickly left him behind.

As the style of play in the NBA evolved throughout the 2010s, the need for a skill set like Monroe's, which was much more traditional, quickly faded before his eyes.

Unfortunately for the Pistons, they were a couple of picks too late for selecting a big man who would have actually made an impact. It was one that wanted to be there too, Demarcus Cousins.

Cousins spoke on Run It Back about his desire to be in Detroit, wishing they had selected him to start his career.

"I did have a workout with a team that was kind of out of my draft range, and it was the team that I would have liked to go into just for long-term success," Cousins stated. "I thought it fit who I was as a person. I thought I could fit that culture. It was the Detroit Pistons."

Cousins continued:

"I thought as far as match, personality wise and culture wise, I thought Detroit would have been more so a fit for me. ... But I wasn't in a position to try to sabotage my draft stock or try [to] force my hand and go somewhere that I thought was right. I was just happy to be in that place and happy to have the opportunity to join an organization."

The Sacramento Kings, instead got to enjoy the best years of Cousins as a pro. The Pistons would have loved to trade places in hindsight.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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