FORMER NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins eyes a title with the Strong Group Athletics in the upcoming 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship set for Jan. 24 to Feb. 2, looking to bring his leadership and skills to the team.
Cousins will be banner the Philippine-representative SGA in the tournament along with other local players and American imports for the squad vying for redemption.
The 34-year-old former Sacramento King, who also played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets in the NBA, is no stranger to Philippine basketball as he played for the Zamboanga Valientes previously.
The Zamboanga Valientes, who will have Samuel Deguera, Malick Diouf, UST cagers Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabanero and more, will also participate in the meet.
“It feels great to be back. Same support as last time, same love. I feel that same energy. I’ve had more time this time in Manila, so I’ve really got to, well, not really get out, but I’m getting more opportunity to get out, so I’m excited for that,” Cousins said. “Overall, I’m happy to be back. I’ve enjoyed the experience so far. We’ve come here, we’ve competed for the last three to four days (practice). We’ve gotten better with each day. Our intentions and goals are to win the championship at Dubai, and we’re working towards them.
“Good, like I said, we’ve gotten better every day. From day one to now, it’s a totally different team, so I’m excited about that. We’re learning quickly. The chemistry is coming along greatly.”
