Cousins Takes A Major Step In Road To Recovery
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Just weeks before the Golden State Warriors open training camp, the team's big time off-season signing DeMarcus Cousins has literally taken a major step in his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury.
In a clip released Thursday for its Showtime Sports documentary on his recovery, Cousins is seen jumping off his injured left leg and dunking the ball.
It was his first dunk since going to down with the season-ending injury in late January as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.
On the video, Cousins says of his road to recovery -- "I guess you can say this is nothing new to me, it's just another form of adversity...It's another test for me to overcome."
His trainer says the 2017 All-Star center has "made more progress in the month of August than any other month." But getting him to dunk is a major step forward.
Still Cousins concludes by telling his trainer that "we have a long way to go."
The Warriors inked Cousins to a one-year, $5.3 million deal during the free agency period this summer. He joins a lineup that includes fellow All-Stars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, as well as a former NBA Finals MVP in Andre Iguodala.
"5 All-Stars on 1 team.... wow," Charlotte's Frank Kaminsky wrote on Twitter.
The Warriors, predictably, were thrilled by a move that gives them a player who averaged 25.2 points last season before getting hurt and has averaged 21.5 points and 11 rebounds for his career.
Curry welcomed Cousins to the two-time NBA champions.
The 3rd splash Brother ????????????????????????????. Let's go @boogiecousins
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) July 3, 2018
Warriors officials have said they are going to have patience with Cousins return. Most believe it will not be until the second half of the 2018-2019 season before he will be able to be a regular in the Warriors lineup.