The Los Angeles Lakers took a hit on Thursday when it was revealed that former All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins had torn his ACL.
As a result, the injury-prone vet will reportedly be out for the entirety of the 2019-20 season. Not only that, but some fear that the former star may have played his final NBA game as a result of this latest setback.
Over the last few seasons, Cousins has undergone serious injuries that have limited his mobility and effectiveness.
As is customary when a player goes down, sports analysts, NBA players, and coaches alike have taken to social media to express their sympathies for the Lakers big man.
fast recovery!!! 🙏🙏 @boogiecousins
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) August 15, 2019
Pray for my brother @boogiecousins 🙏
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) August 15, 2019
Prayers up for my BBN Brother @boogiecousins 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) August 15, 2019
The Warriors would not have won Game 2 of the NBA Finals without @BoogieCousins. This upcoming season felt like it held so much potential.
This sucks.— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) August 15, 2019
Wow! Praying for the Big Fella @boogiecousins! Get well my dude. I’m lost for words! Man can’t catch a break for nothing! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) August 15, 2019
Former Lakers players Pau Gasol and Isaiah Thomas also expressed their sadness over the tough news. Both have dealt with serious injuries in their respective careers.
Praying for my brother @boogiecousins 🙏🏾🏁
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) August 15, 2019
You will come back stronger brother @boogiecousins, best wishes for a speedy recovery! 🙏💪
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) August 15, 2019
Finally, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr weighed in on the injury, admitting that he was “devastated” to hear the news. Cousins played with the Warriors last season, though multiple injuries reduced him to appearing in just 30 games in the regular season and eight games in the postseason.
Steve Kerr said he’s “devastated” for DeMarcus Cousins. “Injuries are a part of the game but you are talking about a player who has now dealt with the 2 most feared injuries for NBA players – the Achilles and ACL – each knocking you out for an entire season… it’s unheard of.” pic.twitter.com/lPC1LsQuTp
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) August 15, 2019
It’s surely a blow to both Cousins and the Lakers. While it is possible that Cousins could come back and compete at a high level following rehab, the road to recovery now seems harder than ever.
