The masses have spoken (at least my fellow PtR crazies have). So here's my attempt to profile one Marcus Cousin (pronounced Coo-zahn or Coo-sanne, I haven't figured out which yet), the mysterious big man with the Frenchified last name.
When the final training camp roster came out, most of us thought of Marcus as the typical throwaway roster signee - just another body with no real chance to make the roster. However, the minutes he's logged in the first two preseason games beg to differ. Pop doesn't play anyone 45 minutes unless he's taking a serious look at the guy.
So, jump with me as we take a deeper look at the (possibly) new Spur.
I beg for your patience, as there's not a lot of information on Cousin, not even a DraftExpress or an NBADraft.net profile. Marcus is a native of Baltimore, MD, where he played for Randallstown High School. He missed most of his senior season with an ankle injury, but was still recruited by Michigan State and UMass before signing with Seton Hall. For those not familiar with college basketball, both MSU and UMass have strong programs. Cousin transferred to the University of Houston after two years, so I guess he qualifies as a quasi-Texan, bless his heart. For you statistic freaks, here are his college stats. Marcus started 32 of 33 games his senior season, averaging 10.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg and over 2 bpg. Not otstanding numbers, but nothing to sneeze at, especially the blocks - 69 dudes!
Cousin went undrafted out of college (any of you sensing a theme here with the Spurs camp invites?), even though he apparently held his own at the Portsmouth Invitational last year - DraftExpress even gave Marcus a spot on their All Second Tourney Team. The Rockets did sign him to their Summer League team, along with PtR favorites Garrett Temple and James White. And this is where the trail peters out. Cousin played in Turkey and Israel last year, but the only stats I've found are these. Not overwhelming numbers by any stretch of the imagination, but at least he spent the year playing basketball.
Cousin's 7 rpg and 1.5 bpg in the preseason give me hope that he can be a serviceable big man in the NBA (his 6-11 height sure as hell doesn't hurt), but I don't know if that serviceability will happen this year. The only thing I really know about his game is that he is a truly athletic big guy, has been active in the preseason and deserves a second look. Regardless of whether or not he sticks with the mothership, Marcus is a good candidate for the Toros, where he can continue to work on the PnR. It sounded like Cousin was adept with the PnR last night on both ends of the court, but I could only hear the game, and I was also watching the CU Buffs laying a big giant turd on the football field, so I could totally be wrong about this, but I don't think I am. Massive run-on sentence for the win!
Anyway, the only thing I ask of the PtR community is that someone create an appropriate chop of Shatner yelling "Coo-Zahn". I suck at any form of photoshopping.
UH Senior Year Highlights (He makes his FTs?!?!?)
CUSA Conference Tourney vs. UTEP
Portsmouth Invitational Highlights (that's "Cooze", not Cousin)
Turkey Highlights (no, I'm not talking about Thanksgiving)