Mature? Emotional leader? Those aren't things most experts around the league would label him as. His antics are very IMMATURE and I personally believe that one of his biggest weaknesses is that he's not a leader. IMO, leaders don't act like children when some non NBA ref makes a crappy call in a SCRIMMAGE. I liked what George Karl said when asked about DMC's emotions. He said that he felt that showing negative emotions on the court is a sign of weakness. I couldn't agree more. I get that it's going to happen from time to time over a long season but he has about 6-7 of these outbursts just about every game. It has to stop if he's going to take his game and the team to the next level.
With all due respect, but those "experts" are constantly repeating the same story, mostly because they are too lazy to actually spend time to get into a topic. Instead they are repeating the same superficial social media BS over and over again until those kind of prejudices against a player become some kind of common sense, that every basketball fan just accepts, because every "expert" said it.
Cousins was labeled immature from the beginning. He was painted as some kind of villain because of very few actual incidents and his emotional gameplay. What always stood out to me in this debate, is the way those things are blown out of proportion.
First of all - to become one of the best big man, to become so skilled like DMC, to add so many things to your game you have to work extremely hard. And common sense tells us, that a young man, who sets goals for himself and works his a.. off, to reach them, is a mature person. There are very few NBA players, who just won the genetic lottery and are in the league because of that. But Cousins is not one of them. To paint someone that driven and hard working as immature is simply insulting and ridiculous.
Secondly there are many ways to motivate oneself to reach goals or to compete in sports or life in general. Some people are fueled from positive emotions. Some people use anger and frustration to get to the next level. I'm by no means a great athlete, but when playing sports or training for a certain goal, it was always the moment of failure and the frustration that comes with it, that kept me going. I'm in my 40's now and got into powerlifting 10 years ago. When stepping onto the bar, I don't think about the great feelings I had, when I actually made a successful lift. I think about the times when I failed, I get angry and I use this anger to channel my energy and to lift the weigth up.
My wife always tells me, that I look kinda scary when I lift and I really need time to calm myself after a lift, but in my sport anger and emotions are part of the game and nobody will paint you as weak because you scream, shout and grunt while lifting.
It's the stupid role model image of the NBA that causes this whole media turnmoil around DMC. And what really drives me crazy is the crookedness in that regard. There are quite a few players, who have addiction problems, who took part in assault causes among other things, yet DMC gets painted as emotional weak person, because he argues some calls and is fueled by his anger? I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.
Thirdly DMC is the player he is, because of his emotions. You don't play bully ball, without being hostile. Right now the Rugby worldcup takes place. If you apply the role model image of the NBA to the rugby players, everyone of them is an emotional weak, immature person. The New Zealand National team even threatens their opponents with the Haka. Are the emotions in that moment positive? I don't think so.....
One player I always viewed as the prime example of positive emotions on the basketball court is Vince Carter. The guy was talented beyond believe. But he was always a guy, who shook hands after losing while smiling and chatting with his opponent.
I take players like Cuz, Garnett, Laimbeer or Rodman over Carter any time. Give me the hostile ones, the cocky ones, the players, that go to war on the basketball court and keep the so called role models on other teams.
Cousins has to be, who he is. If he changes and tries to tame himself, his game will change too. And from my point of view Karl is flat out wrong, when it comes to negative emotions in sports. Cuz has learned to not allow his emotions to get him ejected most of the time. I'm fine with the way he is right now and I wish him the best of luck in his mission to silence the so called experts.