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Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Demarcus Cousins Reveals Biggest Regret Of His NBA Career

Originally posted on Fadeaway World | By Vishwesha Kumar | Last updated Aug 24, 2024 12:42 PM ET

DeMarcus Cousins recently opened up about the biggest regret of his NBA career during an appearance on "The Draymond Green Show." Surprisingly, his regret wasn’t about an on-court decision or a missed opportunity, but rather a personal incident that occurred during his time with the Sacramento Kings.

"Bro, I'm not a person that lives with many regrets, but man, it's one thing I know for sure I wish I would have did differently in my career. And it might not even be an answer you really are expecting from me, but bro, I was, it was a year in Sacramento."

"I was dealing with some family things back home and you know my brother, you know kind of had a situation of his own and it was this f***ing reporter bro named Andy Ferrillo and this guy just he made a mission to make sure he gave me hit piece after hit piece."

"It was the campaign to kind of push me out of Sacramento, they had a little campaign going, which was fine, but you know, I would see the articles and you know, you know how we deal with media. It's like, I know what your angle is with me, so I'm going to deal with you accordingly."

"It was to the point where he was kind of running out of material to say about me. So then he just kind of switched lanes and now he was speaking on a family member and you know, I'm super sensitive about my family."

"It's not a lot of things that bother me more than when you bother my family and for me you know with me doing my job and me being in this profession you know talk your s**t say whatever you got to say about me but don't bother my family."

"He mentioned my brother and I didn't appreciate it. So at the end of the day, you know, I kind of pressed the line, like, you know, keep my f***ing family out your mouth, homie. And, um, it was never to the point where I wanted to take it further than it needed to, but I definitely wanted to get my point across."

"And at the end of the day, looking back on it, one, I was raised better too. You know, I was raised to respect my elders. Like, so I definitely pressed that old man a little too hard, bro." (2:00)

Cousins recalled a specific year in Sacramento when he was dealing with family issues back home. Around that time, a reporter named Andy Ferrillo, who Cousins felt had a mission to tarnish his image with negative coverage, crossed a line by mentioning Cousins' brother in one of his reports. This deeply upset Cousins, as he is particularly protective of his family.

Reflecting on the incident, Cousins admitted that he let his emotions get the best of him. He confronted Ferrillo in a heated manner, telling him to keep his family out of his mouth. The confrontation, which was captured on video and went viral in 2016, showed Cousins cursing at the reporter and expressing his anger.

Looking back, Cousins recognizes that he handled the situation poorly. He expressed regret for how he confronted Ferrillo, acknowledging that he was raised better and that he shouldn’t have pressed the reporter so hard, especially given Ferrillo’s age. Cousins emphasized that he despises bullies and that his actions in that moment went against the principles he was taught growing up.

Despite this regret, Cousins also reflected on the broader scope of his life and career. He acknowledged the incredible journey he has been on, from his upbringing to becoming an NBA star. Cousins noted that while he has experienced both highs and lows, he feels grateful for the life he has lived and the opportunities he has had.

DeMarcus Cousins’ reflection on this incident demonstrates significant maturity and self-awareness. It shows his willingness to admit when he was wrong and to learn from his mistakes, which is a testament to his growth as a person over the years.

This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

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