Warriors’ Steve Kerr on DeMarcus Cousins’ knee injury: “I’m devastated for DeMarcus. It’s been a couple of years of hell. I was really hoping this season would be a chance to get healthy. We’re all crushed for him.” pic.twitter.com/qa0BmQhAFJ
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 15, 2019
Steve Kerr only had a year with DeMarcus Cousins, but that year was likely the toughest of Cousins’ career. After coming back from a torn Achilles and missing out on a potentially massive pay day for a one-year, roughly $5 million deal, Cousins tore his quad in the playoffs before fighting back to play in the Finals.
Cousins signed with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason and was poised for something of a redemption year if he could get fully healthy again. Instead, as Shams Charania of The Athletic revealed this morning, Cousins tore his ACL and will be out for all of the 2019-20 season and potentially beyond. The injury sent shockwaves throughout the NBA as Kerr, who is coaching with Team USA, spoke to on Thursday.
“I’m devastated for DeMarcus,” Kerr said. “It’s been a couple of years of hell for DeMarcus with the injury, first the Achilles and then last year in the playoffs with the quad. I was really hoping that this would be year for him, upcoming, with the Lakers, where he could get healthy… We’re all crushed for him.”
Kerr said Cousins helped the Warriors “immeasurably” in the Finals:
Warriors coach Steve Kerr salutes DeMarcus Cousins (torn ACL) for his 2019 NBA Finals contributions: “The two games we won, it wasn’t a coincidence he played really well. He helped us immeasurably. He gave us a hell of an effort. He gave us everything he had.” pic.twitter.com/TPdZVbJlol
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 15, 2019
Kerr also spoke to the devastation of the injuries Cousins had suffered and his hope that he could reboot his career in a year’s time.
“When you’re talking about a player who has dealt with the two most feared injuries for NBA players – the Achilles & the ACL – each basically knocking you out for an entire season; to deal with that over a two-and-a-half, three-year span, it’s unheard of. What a blow for him and the Lakers. He’s going to have to process it all and start over again… Hopefully he can get back on the bike and start riding.”
Steve Kerr on DeMarcus Cousins: “You’re talking about a player who has dealt with the 2 most feared injuries for NBA players – the Achilles & the ACL – in 2 or 3 years, it’s unheard of. What a blow for him and the Lakers. Hopefully he can get back on the bike and start riding.” pic.twitter.com/QB8KwgcK9I
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 15, 2019
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