George Karl ‘excited' to watch DeMarcus Cousins' Warriors debut vs. Clippers

Share

In case you forgot, DeMarcus Cousins and George Karl weren't exactly best friends during their time together in Sacramento. They got into heated arguments, and Karl wanted Cousins traded.

But, three years later, Karl is out of coaching and Cousins is set to make his Warriors debut Friday against the Clippers.

"We definitely had ups and downs," Karl said Wednesday on KNBR 680. "We had negative days, we had positive days. I’m a guy that tells it like it is. Every day I try to come in and get better and energize the team to be in that same mode. I think DeMarcus is going to be fine in this scenario. I might be on that list [of coaches] he didn’t like, but there are some other coaches on that list, too."

Cousins will have 37 regular-season games to get up to speed and mesh with his new teammates before the playoffs begin.

For all the stress Karl and Cousins caused for each other during their year and a half together, the former Kings coach definitely will be watching the Warriors-Clippers game.

"I’m excited to see the game [on Friday]. I really think it’s going to work out well," Karl said. "I don’t think any nightmare is going to happen from now until probably the second round of the playoffs where it might get gritty a little bit, might get edgy a little bit. Because DeMarcus wants to be on a winner, he’s a hell of a player, he’s got great talent. I think he fits the personality of Golden State. I think they have time now not to force him back."

While Karl had a hard time getting through to Cousins in Sacramento, he believes that having players such as Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green will help the All-Star center.

"I definitely think DeMarcus enjoys the peer pressure more than the authority of the coach, and I think it comes in different packages," Karl said. "Every player has his thermostat on how much coaching he will take. Some guys are extremely coachable, other guys aren’t very coachable. And some guys, as a coaching staff, you gotta figure them out, you gotta figure out who can communicate with them, who can touch them, who can motivate them, it doesn’t always fall on the head-coaching realm of responsibility."

Contact Us