Cousins scrimmages, suggests return near
Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins, after a full scrimmage Monday with the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, suggested he could play in an NBA game now if his “life depended on it,” but he hopes to make more progress before his Golden State debut.
Cousins, speaking publicly for the first time since September, said he played full-court, 5-on-5 for about 20 minutes of game time. It was the next step in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon.
“My body felt good,” Cousins told reporters after practice. “My rhythm wasn’t quite where I wanted it to be, but as far as my body, just getting up and down and pushing the limit, it felt great. My wind wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”
Asked how far away he is from returning to NBA action with the Warriors, he said, “I felt like if my life depended on it at the moment, I could go out and play. But I want to be 100 percent, or as close as I can to 100 percent, when I do return. I want my body in tip-top shape.”
Cousins joined his teammates on the bench for Monday night’s game against Minnesota. He’s not sure of his upcoming schedule, though the Warriors have indicated he could practice with Santa Cruz again Wednesday. SI honor: Sports Illustrated named the Warriors as “Sportsperson of the Year.” They joined the 1980 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, 1999 U.S. women’s World Cup soccer team and 2004 Boston Red Sox as the only teams to win the award.
“It’s an incredible honor,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “That’s pretty special to receive an award like that as a group, when for 60-some years, it’s basically been given to an individual.”
SI recognized the Warriors for their “extended run of excellence on and off the court,” according to a news release. The Warriors have won three of the past four NBA championships and are widely recognized for their community service and “taking a stand on matters beyond basketball,” as SI put it.
“It was impossible to overlook the influence that the Warriors, as a collective group, have had on their sport and the broader culture over the last half-decade,” Sports Illustrated Editorin-Chief Chris Stone said.
The Warriors will be featured on the cover of next week’s Sports Illustrated, their 21st cover appearance in the past five years. Curry award: Stephen Curry was named Western Conference Player of the Week after leading the Warriors to road victories over Atlanta, Cleveland and Milwaukee. Curry averaged 30.7 points, 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds for the week. Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.