DeMarcus Cousins to play in Puerto Rican pro league

Four-time All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins has joined the Guaynabo Mets of the Puerto Rican professional basketball league, the team announced on Tuesday.

Cousins, 32, will play in the spring season for Guaynabo with the hopes to finding a pathway back to the NBA next season, sources said. The league, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, has included several former NBA players in recent years.

"DeMarcus is one of the best basketball players of his generation, and from a talent standpoint, he will be one of the best to ever play" in the Puerto Rican league, Mets co-owner Marc Grossman said. "His ability to shoot and stretch the floor should be a great fit."

Cousins has played with seven teams in 13 seasons, but did not get signed onto an NBA roster during the 2022-23 season. He made All-Star teams with the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans in successive seasons starting in 2015, but a series of knee injuries impacted his career trajectory.

Cousins has averaged 19.6 points and 10.2 rebounds in his career and was one of the league's dominant centers with the Kings, including a 2016-17 season averaging 27.8 points and 10.6 rebounds.

Cousins stayed in shape this season and had a workout with the Los Angeles Lakersbut never got an offer to sign with a team after playing 48 total games with Denver and Milwaukee in 2021-22.