DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Can Make’ the Olympic Team

DeMarcus Cousins is on a mission to represent his country at the Olympic Games this summer in London. *Gulp* Reports the Sac Bee: “DeMarcus Cousins believes he can do this. Actually, he believes he will do this: Dominate the competition during Team USA’s training session early next month in Las Vegas. Impress coach Mike Krzyzewski. Defy the odds, overcome the skeptics, and convince USA Basketball czar Jerry Colangelo to slip him a plane ticket to the 2012 London Games. The Beatles? Double-decker buses? The original Tower Bridge? Becoming the first King to meet the queen? ‘I’m not going there (Las Vegas) just to practice,’ Cousins said. ‘I can make that team.’ Cousins’ intentions and bold pronouncements aside, his presence on the final U.S. Olympic roster would be a massive upset, on par with Angola bouncing the United States out of the medal round. His addition to the men’s Select team – the young, emerging NBA stars enlisted to practice against the Olympians from July 5-12 while improving their prospects for future world championship and Olympic teams – was secured only after some impassioned lobbying by Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof. Cousins’ wild and stormy reputation still hurts. USA Basketball officials live in fear of one of their players inciting an international incident. But Cousins, who has matured immensely since his unofficial pro debut two years ago at the Las Vegas Summer League, is working on it. \My main focus is to come back a better leader,’ Cousins said Monday. ‘Learning from the elite guys in this league, who are already leaders on their team, just picking up habits from them.’ With the nucleus of the U.S. roster pretty well set with Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, among others, the only way Cousins gets a serious look is if injuries continue claiming frontcourt stars; Tyson Chandler is the only legitimate center among the finalists. ‘I’ll take the underdog role,’ Cousins insisted.”