DEMARCUS Cousins has been out of the NBA for over a year now – and he doesn’t understand why.

The former Sacramento Kings star used to be one of the most dominant centers in the Association and was believed to be on the verge of signing a $200million contract extension five years ago.

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DeMarcus Cousins became an NBA All-Star, received All-NBA honors, and earned over $94m after the Sacramento Kings picked him with the No. 5 pick in the 2010 draftCredit: Getty

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But he hasn’t played in the NBA since a short spell with the Denver Nuggets in 2022Credit: Getty
Cousins, 32, still earned $94.3million in 12 NBA seasons while playing for seven different teams, most notably for the Kings, the New Orleans Pelicans, and Golden State Warriors.

But he now hoops for the Guayanabo Mets in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league, signing with the Puerto Rican team in April – 12 months after his last NBA game.

Injuries are one of the main reasons for the ex-Kentucky standout’s rapid fall with his career having two distinctive chapters, one before and one after he tore his Achilles in 2018.

The pre-Achilles injury Cousins earned the nickname Boogie in college because he stood at 6-foot-10 and yet had the footwork of a guard before the Kings picked him at No. 5 overall in the 2010 NBA Draft

In his first nine seasons, Cousins earned two All-NBA second-team honors and made four consecutive All-Star appearances as he averaged 21.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocks.

Only his former Pelicans teammate, Anthony Davis, logged similar numbers in the same period.

In 2015, Boogie became just the fourth NBA player ever to collect at least 20 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and five blocks in a game.

Cousins also found himself in an elite company when he joined Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to log back-to-back 20/20/10 stat lines later that year.

But then, he tore his Achilles and ACL in the span of 20 months – suffering the latter in an offseason pickup game just as he was about to reunite with Davis on the championship-bound Los Angeles Lakers in 2019.

And even though the big man made his NBA return in December 2020, he would never be the same Boogie ever again.

The two serious injuries, both to his left leg, took an evident toll on the center’s body as he didn’t move nearly as freely as in his prime.

Boogie lacked burst and lateral quickness, affecting his offense and making him a liability on defense.

Between 2020-2022, Cousins averaged just 8.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists as he bounced around the league with stops in Houston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, and Denver.

Many would say his performance should have still earned the big man at least a veteran minimum deal on one of the 30 NBA teams.

But it didn’t – likely because he earned a reputation as a troublemaker during his time in the league.

Cousins clashed with coaches and broadcasters, punched Patrick Beverley in the stomach during a game, and raked in countless technical fouls while suggesting the referees were out to get him.

Last November, ex-Warriors general manager Bob Myers told Boogie his erratic behavior was behind his NBA exile when he called the previous month.

“I said, ‘You want that answer? … Because people are afraid of how you’re going to act,'” Myers said on the All The Smoke podcast.

“And he’s like ‘Why?’ And I said, ‘Well whatever the reason is, it’s here now.'”

But Myers’ response seemingly didn’t convince Cousins, who worked out for the Lakers in January but failed to get himself a contract.

Boogie said his inability to get back in the league was “an unsolved secret of the NBA” when he appeared on SiriusXM in March.

“I can never really get the raw honest truth,” he added.

“I would love to get the real answer.”