DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall started a revolution in college basketball 11 years ago joining forces at Kentucky under John Calipari as freshmen. Their one-and-done year in Lexington set a trend that is being followed by programs across the nation to this day.
The two have long yearned to reunite in the NBA. Now, the duo will get their wish in Houston following the blockbuster trade that sent Wall to the Houston Rockets from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Russell Westbrook.
Talking to the media Thursday, Cousins expressed his excitement reuniting with Wall.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Cousins said per Jonathan Fiegen of the Houston Chronicle. “This is something that me and him have planned and dreamed about for a long time.”
Cousins added Wall was “a brother for life.”
It’s a reunion many Wizards fans have yearned for. Wall recently admitted he pushed for Cousins in Washington. However, Washington never quite showed serious interest in Cousins, even not on a low-risk gamble after the former All-NBA center suffered a torn Achilles in 2018.
Now, Wall and Cousins get their wish. They’ll be together in Houston while both try to rejuvenate their career after being halted by serious injuries.
Wall hasn’t played in an NBA game in two years after undergoing heel surgery and later a ruptured Achilles. Cousins, hasn’t played since the 2019 NBA Playoffs. After a torn Achilles in 2018 and a quad injury in the playoffs, Cousins suffered a torn ACL in the summer of 2019.
Ideally, the two will play alongside Rockets franchise player James Harden. However, reports suggest the 2018 NBA MVP and three-time scoring champion has been frustrated by the direction of the Rockets.
Houston has moved on from their longtime general manager Daryl Morey, cut ties with coach Mike D’Antoni and at his request, traded Westbrook. The Rockets hope acquiring Wall will be enough to entice Harden to want to stick in H-Town a bit longer.
