I had to watch the Kings vs. Clippers game on Monday on the SoCal broadcast. This was a bad game to hear a non-local team talking about Cousins. They ragged and ragged on him all game long, some of it legitimate, most of it overly done. There's no doubt that he has some issues that absolutely MUST be addressed and resolved in order for him to reach his true potential. And we're not talking about work ethic, which is something that could hold him back. We're talking about a Rasheed Wallace type of breakdown, where he's the most talented player on the court nine times out of ten, but can't be trusted to not self-destruct at the worst possible time. A coach killer, a cancer, a malcontent, etc. He's going to be very, very good, but will he be reliable and professional? That's what's at question.
That said, while all of that is obvious, I think he gets a bad wrap. As important as it is that he gets/keeps his act together, his issues have been overblown. He is still a teenager, and while that doesn't excuse his issues, it does matter. He's also playing on a team that doesn't win many games (incredibly frustrating for a competitor), and a team without a strong veteran presence or stable leadership from the coaching staff.
