DeMarcus Cousins is Going to Tear Derrick Favors to Pieces

by Jared Quillen
Disclaimer: Admittedly, I didn’t proofread this because quite honestly I didn’t feel like it, so if you find any errors and that bothers you, just get over yourself and move on.

Every year there is another player that comes into the draft as an accomplished player that everyone is sure will be drafted really high and then almost as if to convince themselves that said player is too good to be true they start finding reasons why not to like, why not to draft the player and ignore everything that the player has already proven on the court. Last year that player was Tyler Hansbrough, who despite leading his team for four straight years and going to two Final Fours with one National Championship was criticized for having short arms. He ended up with 8.5 ppg and 4.8 rpg in only 17.6 mins/gm. Pretty good numbers.

This year’s “chink in the armor” is DeMarcus Cousins. He has be criticized for everything from his lack of desire, (what?) his repeated arguments with John Calipari (repeated?) his lack of athleticism, (really?) and now his body fat percentage which currently sits at 16.4%. He has even been compared to Dinner Bell Mel Turpin and Oliver Simmons. His body fat percentage could be a little better yes, but let me let you in on a little something, when I was in high school I was at a very fit 7%. One year ago I was at 18% and I ran a full 26.2 marathon. I could never have done that in high school. Body fat percentage isn’t everything.

Apparently DeMarcus Cousins has taken some exception to the idea that Derrick Favors will be drafted ahead of him. This is of course completely ridiculous. If Derrick Favors goes ahead of Cousins, whoever it is that drafted Favors will rue that day and probably lose his job over it. 15 years from now when we look back on both of those players careers, there will be no comparison between the two. I am telling you DeMarcus Cousins is a perennial all-star player. He is as sure a bet as there is in this year’s draft. I have more confidence in his ability to shine in the NBA than I have in even John Wall’s.

Back to Derrick Favors. DeMarcus Cousins’ agent has been trying to get teams to work out both players against each other, but Favors has been reluctant for obvious reasons. He’s going to get smoked. Both players recently worked out for the Kings and despite Cousins’ camp’s desires that they play a little one on one, Favors people said no. Well it looks as if Cousins will finally get his wish as New Jersey Nets’ general manager Rod Thorn has requested that Favors go one on one with Cousins when they come to New Jersey for workouts on June 21st. New Jersey is currently leaning towards Favors, but after he gets worked over by Cousins, I think they’ll change their minds. This could mean that Cousins could be drafted as high as number three by New Jersey. Now personally I don’t think that he should go anywhere lower than second, but I suppose three is reasonable.

Just for fun, let’s look at the pre-game stats per forty minutes. Cousins brings 25.7 points, 15.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 3.06 blocks per 40 to Favors’ 18, 12.2, 1.45, 1.3, 3.05 respectively. In other words Cousins wins every stat category. Additionally the Sacramento Bee reported that Cousins workout with the Kings proved him to have the far superior mid-range shot. Cousins comes into this bout at 6-11, 270 lbs. and Favors is 6-10, 246.

Oh an by the way, any questions about Cousins desire can be immediately put aside by just watching a little game tape. That guy dives on the floor after loose balls as much as any 6-11 player I have ever seen. Larry Bird who once said, “It makes me sick to see guys just sit there and watch the ball go out of bounds” would be proud.

Advantage, wait no, HUGE advantage DeMarcus Cousins.

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