Ask Kerith: How DeMarcus Cousins will assimilate to Warriors' offense

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Editor’s note: Kerith Burke, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Warriors reporter, will take you inside the two-time defending NBA champions as only she can each Friday with the Ask Kerith Mailbag. Send her a question on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #askkerith

Tip-Off

DeMarcus Cousins has been practicing in Santa Cruz, and he opened up about how humbling it feels to go through a long rehab following his Achilles tendon tear. Boogie said: “It's really tested me as a person, as a man, as an athlete. I've had a lot of dark days, a lot of good days. I've questioned myself a lot, but I've found a way to overcome all those bad feelings so I see the light at the end of the tunnel."

I love how Boogie opened up about this. Admitting you’ve gone through some dark times is powerful.

Steph Curry said the team is trying to make sure Boogie feels like he’s part of what they’re doing as he waits to play. Steph said it’s lonely being in the gym by yourself, repeatedly doing the same drills. It’s important to talk about loneliness and frustration.

Steve Kerr emphasized that the Warriors want to make sure Boogie is comfortable and ready, in all the ways, to get back into games. Tending to the mental side of things is something we should talk about more in sports.

Game On!

@mefixcomputers How much time do you think it will take to assimilate Boogie into the offense?

It will feel different, for sure. The Warriors will be inserting one of the best centers in the league on a team whose identity is steeped in the long ball. When you have a talent like Boogie, though, you get him involved. And to give Boogie credit, he can knock down threes.

Boogie will have to get ready for the pace at which the Warriors play. It’s quick, and that’s a big body to get up and down the court. That’s why the Warriors are making sure they give him enough time to get his conditioning up.

One thing that will help him assimilate is his passing ability. Steve has noticed in his years of watching Boogie dominate in his position that he’s an excellent passer. When the Warriors strive to make a lot of passes to improvise on offense and create open looks, Boogie will be part of it.

I mentioned in a previous mailbag that it might take Boogie five games, a dozen games, or even the rest of the season to feel completely in the fold. That’s normal, like a puzzle to solve. Everyone is excited to see what the finished picture will look like.

@harbaughsoldier Who are warriors adding to fill jones roster spot

@couchtomato62 Good question. Do they get any relief from Damian missing the season

Steve explained the Warriors aren’t looking to add anyone until everyone is healthy. They want to assess the team they have before they think about adding pieces. That’s if they add pieces.

Boogie will be back soon to strengthen the center position. Likely after Christmas or into the new year. Loosely, that’s just two more weeks!

@asucedo861 Where are you from?

My dad was in the Army, so I grew up all over. I feel like I’m from everywhere and nowhere. We lived in the Pacific Northwest, the South and upstate New York. In my career, I’ve worked in Washington, Idaho, Raleigh, New York and now the Bay Area. The longest I’ve lived anywhere in my life is five years.

People often ask which teams I root for, and my boring non-answer is ... no one? I only get pumped for my alma mater, Washington State. My parents are huge sports fans, so I remember watching the Bulls dynasty, football every Sunday, the Braves because they were on TV all the time, and the Olympics, but I didn’t grow up with a team.

@ask_butter I’m curious how Steve Kerr’s back is doing? Seems better? Great work, Kerith! Making us sports ladies proud :)

Thank you! Steve hasn’t talked about his back recently, but I remember at the beginning of the season, he said he was feeling better. He even played some golf in the offseason, which was a big deal. He loves golf. It’s one of the things that fills his cup, as he likes to say. He enjoys yoga, too.

Steve and Tiger Woods bonded over their back issues. They share a specialist. Steve is constantly doing the work to find some relief, as best as he can.

@SunsetLife22 What’s it like to work in a very male dominated industry? Are there women who have mentored you along the way? Men who have? What’s been your experience and is it still evolving for you and others?

Working in a male-dominated field means constantly being aware I’m outnumbered. That feeling is usually neutral, like a quiet “oh” that hangs in the air as I go about my business. I scan the room for other women. I introduce myself.

95 percent of the time, being a woman in sports isn’t an issue. 5 percent of the time, I’m furious.

Furious is the precise word. Some readers might balk and demand examples. I don’t care. I decline to dig up the things that felt like crap. I also want to make clear the worst examples did not happen with the Warriors. My experience alongside this team has been great.

As for mentors, yes, a group of women that I’ll simply describe as a deep network, formed over years of experience. We text and DM and commiserate. When we’re in a room together, we smile or eye-roll at the men who treat us like we are their daughters or they are our bosses when they are neither. They are our colleagues. We also celebrate each other’s successes. We are strong and loud when we need to be.

The best male mentors I’ve had are good listeners. They don’t question that something sexist happened. They believe it and ask how they can help. Male mentors have helped me negotiate contracts. One of the reasons I have a male agent is because I believe workplaces view him with more gravitas when he’s advocating for me.

Being a woman in sports today reminds me to thank the women who came before me. Like I said, for me, 95 percent of the time, it’s great. For them … those were different days with fewer people to stand up for them. I spoke to someone I admire about how it was for her when women were first going into locker rooms. I told her about this mailbag question and asked if she would share some stories. She preferred to talk on background. She remembers jockstraps thrown at her. She remembers naked players following her around saying “Hey! Interview me!”

This mailbag question came two weeks ago. I saved it, because I wanted to think about the best way to answer. Today … and this feeling changes … I’m going to answer at 33 percent strength. Today, it feels better to be a chameleon than a canary.

High Five

I look at the news in the morning and scan Twitter. This dunk woke me right up.

Her name is Fran Belibi. She committed to play at Stanford. Her USA Basketball bio indicates she only started playing basketball as a freshman. She’s also an Academic All-State athlete, and was invited to the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists. Belibi is the daughter of two doctors, and she wants to be one as well. Read more about her here.

Follow Kerith on Twitter @KerithBurke and on Instagram @warriorskerith, and, of course, watch her on NBC Sports Bay Area’s Warriors coverage all season.

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