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Opinion: Chances on DeMarcus Cousins Being Crown NBA Skills Champ?

By Rafe Wong

Feb 18, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Western Conference center/forward DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings (15) talks with Western Conference forward Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors (23) during the NBA All-Star Practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Western Conference center/forward DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings (15) talks with Western Conference forward Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors (23) during the NBA All-Star Practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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What are the chances that DeMarcus Cousins will be crowned the NBA Skills Challenge champ in tonight’s All-Star weekend festivities?

DeMarcus Cousins continues to make the Sacramento Kings community proud by not only making the All-Star team in the Western Conference but also participating in the NBA Skills Challenge tonight as well.

Other players that will be joining Cousins in tonight’s competition are Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, Gordon Hayward, Kristaps Porzingis, Isaiah Thomas, and John Wall.

Kings fans, we want to hear from you. What are the chances that DeMarcus Cousins actually comes out tonight being crowned the NBA Skills Challenge champ?

To express your thoughts on the issue, feel free to participate in our current survey that is posted on our Twitter account.

My Thoughts

In my opinion, DeMarcus Cousins definitely has a shot of finishing first in the NBA Skills Challenge, and I’m not just saying this because I write about the Sacramento Kings. Even though he is a big man standing at 6’11 and weighing 270 pounds, Cousins has an amazing skill set for someone of his stature. His skills are one of the main reasons why he is considered the best big man in the NBA today by many.

If the format of the Skills contest is the same from last year, then I think the hardest obstacle that Cousins will face tonight will be the dribbling stage. Cousins has handles and should be fine keeping the ball with him at all times, but considering that he has to dribble around mannequins, his quickness might be a liability.

Remember, Cousins will face off in the final round (if he makes it) against players like Isaiah Thomas, John Wall, and Gordon Hayward who all are a lot quicker than him. So for that reason, I think the dribbling stage could be a disadvantage for Cousins. Luckily, he can make up for his quickness by being a gifted passer and shooter. Even though Cousins is not the best three-point shooter, he has shown this season to be clutch from beyond the perimeter at times.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Cousins has a good chance of winning tonight’s skills contest, but will he come out on top? The fan in me is going to say yes on this question. There’s really no clear-cut favorite on who will win tonight’s contest. It’s hard to predict because you’re not sure who is going to take it seriously or not, considering the contest is mainly for entertainment.

In my opinion, it seems like Cousins is motivated to go for the crown tonight. In a recent interview with Cowbell Kingdom, Cousins mentioned that he is going into this year’s Skills Contest with a winning mindset. You can check out the interview in the video posted below (quote at 3:50).

"I’m looking forward to it. I’m definitely going in to win it. -DeMarcus Cousins on the All-Star Skills Competition."

So there you go. DeMarcus Cousins will be participating in the NBA Skills Contest tonight and my prediction is that he is going to win it all. Agree?

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