DeMarcus Cousins says NBA’s next generation is ready to take the mantle: ‘The league is in good hands’

Every NBA season, the age-old question of who will take the mantle of the ‘face of the league’ emerges as the next generation of stars make their name in the post-season. 

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While the old guard of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant have reached the sunset of their careers, the next generation is not only showing they’re ready to take that next step into their shoes, they’re doing it in real time. 

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«There’s so much young talent [in the NBA],» DeMarcus Cousins told Australian journalists on a conference call last week.

«I’m a huge Anthony Edwards fan, obviously, Wemby [Victor Wembanyama] is on his way to becoming something special and a one-of-one for himself.

«You got the Shai’s [Gilgeous-Alexander], Dylan Harper’s, the Stephon Castle’s of the world, so it’s a lot of young talent, up-and-coming talent in this league. Even Josh Giddey in Chicago.

«I’m excited for where the league is headed, and I’m also in a comfortable place to know that the league is in good hands.»

As it stands Edwards is locked in a second round battle with the Spurs cohort led by Wembanyama, alongside Harper and Castle, with the winner to face Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder for a spot in the NBA Finals.

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Cousins impressed with Aussie contingent

Cousins, who will be in Melbourne this week for the first-ever NBA House Australia, says he believes Australia has two potential superstars on their hands in the form of Josh Guddey and Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels

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«They have a chance to be really special in the league,» Cousins said of Giddey and Daniels.

«Josh Giddey, being a triple-double threat every single night. Daniels being a defensive menace that he is; and, at the same time, his offense is coming along. You can just imagine the type of player he can turn into in this league. Two guys with really, really bright futures, full of potential.

«Giddey isn’t in the most winning situation, but he left a great organisation in OKC with winning ways and is kind of experiencing the other side of the league. I think that’s gonna shape him into a really, really good pro. His situation can turn out to be really special.»

Meanwhile, Daniels, a year removed from a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting, has continued to grow as a player, emerging as one of the Hawks’ on-court leaders following Trae Young’s trade to Washington, helping propel his team to the No.6 seed, their best finish in five seasons.

«He’s in a really good situation, just finished a playoff run,» Cousins added. «He has so much potential and so much growth to go with his game. It’s two guys I think can become really, really special in the league, and I look forward to seeing that from them.»

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