In Calipari’s system it was 110% at all times, when you get tired take yourself out.Try running with Wall and Bledsoe and give 110%.I think its a positive he was mature enough to take him self out when winded and falling below the required 110%.Especially when you have a competent back up center (Orton – Also top 20 in the draft).A great addition to any team, The Media played up his attitude and passed it to the referees who consistently when to the monitor to see if fouls were flagrant.He played hack-a-cuz (shaq), hit below the belt, lost a tooth and kicked in the head,all in one year.Would you rather have your big man get mad or invite his foe out for ice cream after the game.To many sissies out their today, bring back the Detroit badboys, Mahorn, Laimbeer, Rodman, Duuuuumaaaars. Also, as for his leaping ability, how high does he have to jump? Top of the backboard, he’s 6′11″ with over a 7′6″ wingspan.  

Like Louise he can run the floor, pass, hit the 17-19 footer consistently. He’ll take charges cuz of his basketball IQ not cuz of his lateral quickness.

Louise is a great offensive rebounder because he’s more sneaky and works hard, where as Cousins get his offensive rebounds because of his positioning and strength.

Like Louise he’s a great team mate. He was extremely liked by all his team mates and coaches. Calipari still calls him his big son! He’ll do whatever it takes to win, he’ll dive for looseballs, make the extra pass, take a charge etc. He’s happy to win, he won’t care about numbers, he cares only about winning, just like Louise.

Unlike Louise, he’s very immature. He reminds me a lot of Charles Barkley in terms of his personality, he’ll say what he thinks, even if it’s not the politically correct thing to say or do. Just like Charles, I strongly believe that he’ll be able to mature and be a impact player in the NBA for 12+ season.

I like Cousins a lot.One of the things that people don’t know about him is that he’s an outstanding passer.He didn’t show it much early on, when it appeared that he was too focused on scoring and impressing scouts (this led him to be jerked from games minutes in because nobody else was getting involved) but the coaching staff must have talked to him because from mid-season he displayed the passing skills written about in his high school scouting reports.I think he’s as talented a passer as Monroe.What really hit it for me was the diagonal passes out of double teams to spot up three point shooters.I think the ability to make this pass separates the good passing big men from the incapable of passing big men.

It should be noted that Yao is an extremely poor passer, one reason why I have contended that he should be used as the end-result of plays rather than as a facilitator. You can’t really have an inside-out offense without a capable passing big man.

Another thing is that he’s a very capable shotblocker. He swatted 1.8 shots in 23.5 minutes, which, on a per minute basis, equaled the rate of Favor’s. I don’t why people talk up Favors’ shotblocking like it could be Dwight Howardesque while acting like Cousins is the next Eddy Curry. Actually I know why, it’s because Favor’s athleticism is supposed to translate very well and it also fits the narrative of him as strong defensively, raw offensively but Cousin’s length and timing should work well. If Cousins is singled up against a small driving to the rim, he is more than capable of blocking the shot.

Even without the maturity concerns, he’s not a knockout prospect. He has poor lift off a standstill position and one of his favorite shots in college, spinning and then trying to softly nestle the ball into the hoop, isn’t going to work in the nba (though fixable by just using the glass more) but he has a lot of ability.

last year rockets got 3 2nd round picks for $2M each. This year just to move up 10 spots in 2nd round is worth $2M.

Gotta have talent to make money and trades.

I was just gobsmacked by the interview. If I read it correctly we have a 19 yr old who gets tired playing less than 24 minutes a game in college? Who has little in the way of hops,but knows how to throw his body around.
From Glenn's description there's an NBA player who does come to mind-Al Jefferson if he played defense.
Just me or does anyone else get the impression Cousins will have problems guarding mobile PFs away from lane? And will provide little in way of weak-side help shotblocking?

While the current management may not remember Eddie Griffin,they went thru the Artest yr and I question how much Adelman wants to invest babysitting a rookie.

My own thoughts:

What mainly stood out was the part about not biting on pump fakes – that along with his known ability to draw fouls is something you just can't teach. It's an easier bet that a 19 year old boy matures into an adult, than for someone who doesn't have basketball instincts to pick them up.

I don't know if Cousins is the guy. But I would say one thing – I think we are all a bit frightened from the experience with Eddie Griffin and that is warranted. But what may have been one isolated case, with a different regime, should not make the rule.