David Thorpe: Cousins Should Study Dirk Nowitzki (Insider)

In his annual "Who should the rookies study?" column, Thorpe explains that Cousins should study and learn from Nowitzki.

"Watch Dirk play and the word "class" comes to mind (ditto for Tim Duncan and Grant Hill). When we can say the same thing about Cousins, he'll be a dominant center in this league. "

about 1 year ago Exhibit G 52 comments 0 recs |

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Hmm...

I agree, sort of. I don’t like the implication that DeMarcus doesn’t have class. But I don’t want to focus too much on a semantics argument. DMC needs to mature and learn to control himself and his emotions better on the court. The guys he lists show tons of emotion and tons of passion for the game without letting it get of control and get the best of them. Thus, they don’t let it take them out of their games.

"What the fuck did I do?" - McNulty

by vfettke on Mar 22, 2011 12:12 PM PDT reply actions

I like the Dirk mention

The Diggler has been criticized for his lack of passion and his lack of drive – his inability to produce in big game situations – and it is a large helping of bavarian sewer chocolate. The guy wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line and knows how to produce. Fortunately for him he also has Jason Terry and Jason Kidd who share that zeal on the current Dallas squad.
For DMC – he is also a guy who has a large degree of confidence in his abilities and also wants the opportunity to bring a win to the team as stress is ratcheted up. I don’t think he can deliver like the Wurzburg wunderkind – but at age 20 he is ahead of where the perennial All-Star was at the same stage in his career.
A teammate of Cousins who controls his emotions and also displays a great passion for the game should be mentioned as another role model; current RoY Tyreke Evans is one cool customer.

by betweentheeyes on Mar 22, 2011 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

class is in session

so darn caught up in semantics….

substitute the word class for composure. There, get the idea?

by betweentheeyes on Mar 22, 2011 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions

That's actually a much better word

"What the fuck did I do?" - McNulty

by vfettke on Mar 22, 2011 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions

I can't read the entire article

But this:

Watch Dirk play and the word “class” comes to mind (ditto for Tim Duncan and Grant Hill). When we can say the same thing about Cousins, he’ll be a dominant center in this league.

That sounds a little simplistic, doesn’t it? I think there are probably a handful of things DeMarcus is going to need to do to become a dominant center in the league, just being classier alone isn’t going to do it.

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints...

by otis29 on Mar 22, 2011 12:47 PM PDT reply actions

Yes simplistic and faulty logic

It would help if he could emotionally mature but isn’t going to make him a more effective player in the post or improve his outside shot.

by bignerd on Mar 22, 2011 11:16 PM PDT up reply actions

I haven't read the article yet, and I'm sure it has some fine points to it.

But yeah, that was what made Shaq great: CLASS.

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by andy sims on Mar 22, 2011 12:57 PM PDT reply actions

Shaq, class?

by Bill2 on Mar 22, 2011 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, didn't he teach Shaq-Fu?

by clicc916 on Mar 22, 2011 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Like Dirk and Duncan?

So basically, DeMarcus needs to be a whitey.

I’m sure I could find scores of images of Dirk and Duncan complaining about fouls.

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Mar 22, 2011 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't know about Dirk

but I can’t stand the way Duncan is on the court. In his world he gets fouled on every play and never fouls anyone else. He may not run his mouth, but he still makes that dumb face everytime he misses a shot asking for the foul call. I’m not questioning his “class” but his attitude annoys me.

If the Kings leave, We all lose

by prowseinthehouse on Mar 22, 2011 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions

It's interesting

How the Spurs are considered “classy”, but they whine as much or more than any team in the NBA.

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints...

by otis29 on Mar 22, 2011 5:21 PM PDT up reply actions

I think it's because people don't pay attention to them

since they are out of the headlines, people assume they aren’t making a fuss.

(This is just a shot in the dark guess)

If the Kings leave, We all lose

by prowseinthehouse on Mar 22, 2011 5:28 PM PDT up reply actions

David Robinson syndrome?

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by wallywagon11 on Mar 22, 2011 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Thank you

And Duncan is the worst offender, which is particularly galling because he’s a member of the nba star club, meaning he’s already receiving his fair share of super star calls.

Oh wait, I forgot. Stern said there is no such thing as the “super star” call, so it must be true.

by outrider on Mar 23, 2011 7:06 AM PDT up reply actions

Isnt DMC

pretty much the same with the whining and the face about every call and non-call?
The difference that Duncan controls his emotions beyond the whining and the faces.

Dunking Dutchman - betting that Omri will have at least 12 games with 85% TS% this season.

by RikSmits on Mar 23, 2011 2:09 AM PDT up reply actions

I wasn't saying anything about DMC

He is worse than Duncan that’s for sure. I just don’t get why everyone thinks he’s a saint on the court when he most definitely is not.

If the Kings leave, We all lose

by prowseinthehouse on Mar 23, 2011 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not an insider so..

Is there any way that you guys could fanpost/ email it to me? :)

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by DTG13 on Mar 22, 2011 1:19 PM PDT reply actions

This is the fanshot

We limit copy and paste of huge chunks of content. The quote I included is the pertninent information, and there honestly isn’t a ton more to the piece since he writes a blurb for every high-profile rookie.

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by Exhibit G on Mar 22, 2011 7:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I like the idea of studying Tim Duncan better

I love beating dead horses.

by allbenji's on Mar 22, 2011 1:31 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Call me crazy

but I would just prefer if he learned to get the ball in the hoop a little easier.

Live every week like it's Shark Week.

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by wallywagon11 on Mar 22, 2011 1:40 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs

Someone took his crazy pills this morning

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by Shizzo on Mar 22, 2011 1:51 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

crazy

"And Solskjaer has won it!"

by 'tough as nails' spence on Mar 22, 2011 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions

You're crazy Wally.

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If Omri has 12 games with 85+ TS% (20+ mins only) on the season, I will send RikSmits a slice of Cherry Pie with real Californian cheese pasteurized locally in Washington state.

by pookeyguru on Mar 22, 2011 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions

It'll happen eventually

I worry more about the TOs than the missed shots. He’s got damn good footwork down low, especially for someone so young. It’s one of the technical aspects of the low post game that most big men don’t come packaged with. Eventually, those shots will start falling

"What the fuck did I do?" - McNulty

by vfettke on Mar 22, 2011 10:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Is this the

“learn from the exact opposite kind of player” study?

by ZenBaller on Mar 22, 2011 2:31 PM PDT reply actions

As long as Cousins doesn't catch Dirk's ugly then I'll be ok with it

I can’t even watch dirk play, with his flailing and ugliness, nappy hair… eww… gross.. kill it..

by HeuristicLineup on Mar 22, 2011 3:30 PM PDT reply actions

Wasn't it Sacto Ryan

that did those photoshops of merged players? I’d love to see a DirkMarcus Cousins.

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by section214 on Mar 22, 2011 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Ugh... I hope I don't see that while I'm eating

by HeuristicLineup on Mar 22, 2011 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Dirk and Pau Gasol blended would probably kill off the human race

by HeuristicLineup on Mar 22, 2011 3:39 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

It's been done -

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by section214 on Mar 22, 2011 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions 7 recs

Section FTW!

Live every week like it's Shark Week.

Words of wisdom from the great Billy Dee Williams

by wallywagon11 on Mar 22, 2011 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions

I think a little Elway's been mixed in there as well :)

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints...

by otis29 on Mar 22, 2011 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions

they combine to look like Sarah Jessica Parker?

by HeuristicLineup on Mar 22, 2011 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

That can't be right.

The horse is actually kind of cute.

Dirkau Gasowitski would be one ugly dude.

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by PurpleLoco on Mar 22, 2011 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions

What's a brutha gotta do to get some name recognition 'round here?

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Mar 22, 2011 4:02 PM PDT up reply actions 15 recs

Ugh!!! WTF

Kill it with fire!

by HeuristicLineup on Mar 22, 2011 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions

I see a resemblance...

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by PhutureKings on Mar 22, 2011 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions 4 recs

Flagged

for making me rec a picture of…. that

If the Kings leave, We all lose

by prowseinthehouse on Mar 23, 2011 1:40 AM PDT up reply actions

Heh heh

That’s gold, Jedi. Gold!

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 22, 2011 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions

hahah

that’s awesome!

by elSAVinator on Mar 22, 2011 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions

If I could rec this a million times I would.

by DiegoKing on Mar 22, 2011 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions

DeDirkus Cousintzki!

by ZenBaller on Mar 22, 2011 5:01 PM PDT up reply actions

I think you accidentally got some Hedo in there!

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints...

by otis29 on Mar 22, 2011 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions

this will sound weird

but boogie could use some of ronron’s advice. artest is a major promoter of mental health and a few visits to the shrink could help boogie’s thinking process and outlook.

i don’t worry about demarcus long-term, but the faster he works on his thinking and behavior, the quicker his road to stardom.

by wwhigh on Mar 22, 2011 4:48 PM PDT reply actions

Class comes to mind

As does the word Soft.

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by Hit4TheCycle on Mar 22, 2011 5:28 PM PDT reply actions

That is so stupid

I don’t know why Dirk gets this rep. The gut goes to the hole and draws fouls at a very high rate, and doesn’t shy away from fighting inside for a rebound. People can’t stop mentioning Landry playing with Dirk’s tooth lodged in his elbow, but apparently that Dirk fought with Landry over a rebound and got an elbow in his mouth is not fitting the image of the soft, white European player.

Dunking Dutchman - betting that Omri will have at least 12 games with 85% TS% this season.

by RikSmits on Mar 23, 2011 2:13 AM PDT up reply actions

BUT HE'S EUROPEAN!!!!111!!!!!1

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by Exhibit G on Mar 23, 2011 5:57 AM PDT up reply actions

Actually, It was Landry's teeth in Dirks elbow

but for tearing a tendon or whatever it did, Dirk handled it pretty tough.

If the Kings leave, We all lose

by prowseinthehouse on Mar 23, 2011 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not exactly in love with the Dirk choice from Thorpe

I get the ‘class’ portion of the article, and I think what he wrote is relevant, but I would have him rather pick Duncan, as his game resembles DMC’s a bit more. When I heard the title I was expecting Al Jefferson or someone, not Dirk.

@davisjrich

by CoolFinity on Mar 23, 2011 9:33 AM PDT reply actions

Thanks for reminding me why I cancelled insider

by markdog333 on Mar 23, 2011 10:19 AM PDT reply actions

Duncan, Gasol and Nowitzki are exceptionally skilled

but are more finesse type players. Cousins is unique in that he has the potential to be physically imposing, to go along with his already adept finesse game. My biggest question mark with Cuz, is wether or not he’ll be able to get his body in proper shape so that he can be physically imposing (stronger and quicker). That’s where I think his dominance will come from. So he can watch all the tape he wants, but it won’t do him any good until he sheds that baby fat and puts on more muscle. He should also take some diet tips from the folks over in Phoenix (Nash and G. Hill).

by amack10 on Mar 23, 2011 10:43 AM PDT reply actions