In his six-and-a-half seasons with the Sacramento Kings, Chris Webber was a dynamic presence in the Kings’ lineup. He provided exceptional versatility for a perennial championship contender.
Webber could beat the opposition with a reliable mid-range game, finish strong around the basket using nifty footwork and handle and pass in ways very few players his size could. Off-the-court, he could be Jekyll and Hyde. Sometimes, Webber could be warm and welcoming. Other times, he could be cold and aloof.
Sound like somebody we know know?
DeMarcus Cousins possesses some of those same characteristics that made Webber a five-time NBA All-Star. So, is it fair to compare the two?
When former Kings coach Rick Adelman visited Sacramento for the first time last year as head man of the Minnesota Timberwolves, we asked him.
“I wouldn’t compare them at all,” Adelman said last March of contrasting Cousins to Webber. “He’s a young player. He certainly has the talent. Maybe it’s the talent that they’re seeing.”
Adelman cited position as a major difference separating the two. Webber was one of the best power forwards of his era. Cousins, meanwhile, has a chance to become one the league’s best centers.
In NBA.com’s season preview of the Kings, Webber was asked a similar question and the former Kings power forward grinned at the comparison. He thinks very highly of the heir apparent to the throne he once held in Sacramento.
“DeMarcus Cousins, in my opinion, will be the best big man in this game in four years,” Webber told Turner Sports’ Vince Cellini. “If he doesn’t, it might be injury or because he just couldn’t do it. But DeMarcus Cousins is a talent.”
Cousins and the Kings continue their three-game, season-opening trip with a visit to Adelman and his Timberwolves. Visit Cowbell Kingdom for analysis both before and after tomorrow’s game in Minnesota.
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