Renewed interest in former Warriors' center following stellar overseas performance

The slight interval before the NBA Finals is providing an opportunity for other news to come to the forefront, with former Golden State Warriors' big man DeMarcus Cousins making headlines after winning a championship and Finals MVP in Taiwan.

'Boogie' led the Taiwan Beer Leopards to a 4-0 sweep over the Taipei Taishin Mars for the 2024 T1 League title, having averaged 25.3 points and 14.8 rebounds in the Finals that culminated in a 24-point, 24-rebound double-double in the championship-clinching game on the weekend.

DeMarcus Cousins' performance in Taiwan has NBA fans dreaming of a return to the league for the former Golden State Warriors' Center

The 33-year-old's dominance in Taiwan has renewed interest of a possible NBA return among fans, with Cousins having not played in the league since his stint with the Denver Nuggets in 2021-22.

After four-straight All-Star appearances where he was recognized as one of the most dominant big men in the league, injuries cruelled the final few years of Cousins' NBA career including his 2018-19 stint with the Warriors that ended in NBA Finals defeat.

Even towards the end of his NBA career, Cousins proved himself a productive offensive player in limited opportunity. His most recent outing came in Game 5 of the Nuggets first-round series against the Warriors in 2022, in which he produced 19 points and four rebounds on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor and 2-of-3 from three-point range in just 15 minutes.

But fans hoping for, or deeming Cousins worthy of an NBA return are bound to be disappointed following comments from the man himself in February. In an interview with Hoops Hype, Cousins poured cold water on the idea by stating, "I know I've had my time there."

Golden State could certainly do with a skilled, offensive-minded center to contrast Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney, yet it appears Cousins' NBA career is highly unlikely to be revived by the Warriors or anyone else for that matter.

Cousins' initial signing with the Warriors in 2018 will go down as one of the most shocking free agency acquisitions of all time, with the then 27-year-old accepting the taxpayer mid-level exception after tearing his achilles in January that year.