DeMarcus Cousins has an admirably broad knowledge of basketball in Australia.
Ask him about Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels, and Cousins lauds two players who could be "really special in the league". He calls Andrew Bogut "crazy as hell" while showing an appreciation of their head-to-head battles. Cousins also admits to being a fan of the NBL -- he says it's "a good soap opera on top of good basketball" -- and even had his opportunities to join Australia's domestic league.
It's why the four-time All-Star is a perfect special guest for the 2026 edition of NBA House Australia, an activation that plans to deliver an immersive basketball and culture experience for fans in celebration of these NBA Playoffs.
Cousins was an ambassador for the league during its NBA House in India in early May, and said in a conference call with select Australian journalists -- of which ESPN was a member -- that he's excited to be part of the event as it comes to Melbourne.
"I'm excited to take this to Australia," Cousins said. "I love spreading knowledge, I love spreading the game, sharing my experiences... I'm glad to be a part of this."
Cousins spoke about what his ambitions are for NBA House Australia, his thoughts on the likes of Giddey and Daniels, and why he's taken such a keen interest in the NBL.
'You can see the joy': Cousins lauds NBA House
For a few select days in 2026 -- May 14-17 to be precise -- The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne will be an NBA fan's dream. It'll feature live playoff action, star meet-and-greets, basketball challenges, gaming, music, exclusive merchandise, and more, with Cousins and fellow All-Star big-man Jaren Jackson Jr. among the special guests.
Buy tickets to NBA House Australia here
Cousins has seen first-hand the appeal of an event like NBA House, which gives the kind of access that most fans never get to experience.
"[A lot of people] don't get the luxury of being in the presence of an NBA guy, or the luxury of going to these games," Cousins said.
"These moments are everything for them. You can see the happiness, you can see the joy, you can see the admiration in their eyes, as far as having these opportunities and having these experiences. It's a really cool thing to see. I'm happy to be a part of it."
That sense of perspective has been one of the unexpected gifts of Cousins' post-NBA journey. After a career derailed by injuries -- a ruptured Achilles, a torn quad, a torn ACL -- the Sacramento Kings legend has found himself travelling the world, representing the game he loves in places he once never imagined.
It's given him a new lens through which to understand basketball's global footprint, along with his own place within it.
"The biggest teaching for me was learning how much talent there is throughout the world," Cousins said.
"Being in the NBA kind of created a closed mind for me, as far as the best talent in the world. I think the NBA has the most elite talent, but that's a small pool of 300 to 400 guys. Outside of that, there's so much more talent; some that's known about, some that's undiscovered. It helped grow my appreciation for the game."
Those reminders come in unexpected moments, like a layover in Hong Kong.
"We were in Hong Kong, and a random person walks by and says, 'DeMarcus, what are you doing here?'" Cousins recalled. "It put things into perspective for me. I'm known throughout the world, in places I didn't think. It just goes to show how far this game spreads throughout the world."
Asked if he's ready for some cheeky interactions with Australians, Cousins' response was honest: "I'm not sure what 'cheeky' means, but I've been around the block," he said with a laugh. "I think I'm prepared for whatever."
'Special' Giddey, battles with Bogut, and more thoughts on Aussies in the NBA
Cousins has experienced Australian basketball talent across the many facets of his career.
His history with Andrew Bogut is well-documented to anyone who followed the Western Conference during the Australian big-man's Golden State Warriors prime, with the pair having countless matchups that were physical and feisty, while mutually respectful.
"Bogut is as talented as he is, but he also had the team that he had behind him," Cousins said.
"We definitely had some competitive matchups. Some intense ones, a lot of trash talk, physical play. Y'all know Bogut, he's crazy as hell. I'm the same way on the court, so there were some good, intense matchups. Very fun at the same time.
"I've got a lot of respect for Bogut, for what he brought to the game, what he brought to the league, and how he represents Australia. He has my ultimate respect."
Post NBA career, Cousins has dipped his toe into the punditry world, so he's well-versed on the current generation of Australian talent that's sprinkled through the league. Giddey, now navigating a rebuild in Chicago after his time with Oklahoma City, and Daniels, who just completed a playoff run with Atlanta, both draw genuine enthusiasm from the veteran big man.
"They have a chance to be really special in the league," Cousins said of Giddey and Daniels.
"Josh Giddey, being a triple-double threat every single night. Daniels being a defensive menace that he is; and, at the same time, his offence is coming along. You can just imagine the type of player he can turn into."
"Giddey left a great organisation in OKC with winning ways, and is kind of experiencing the other side of the league. I think that's gonna shape him into a really, really good pro. His situation can turn out to be really special."
Daniels, he believes, is similarly well-positioned.
"He's in a really good situation, just finished a playoff run," Cousins said. "He has so much potential and so much growth to go with his game. It's two guys I think can become really, really special in the league, and I look forward to seeing that from them."
Why Cousins enjoys the NBL: 'It's pretty entertaining'
Here's something that every NBL fan should know: Like you, DeMarcus Cousins has been watching.
Everything from the talent on the floor, the heat of the rivalries, and the volume of the league's social media presence has drawn Cousins to the league; and he has an appreciation for all elements of the product.
"A huge fan of the league," Cousins said of the NBL.
"I watch from afar. It's a very entertaining league, as far as what y'all got going on in Australia. It's almost like a good soap opera on top of good basketball, so I'm definitely a fan of the league.
"I remember there was a little back and forth between Kendric Davis and Montrezl [Harrell], so there was always something. I'm like, man, this is entertaining.
"On top of that, it's really high-level basketball. It drew me in more, made me wanna tune in more."
Part of his connection to the NBL runs through his former teammate Bryce Cotton, who Cousins was quick to give -- unprompted -- his flowers.
"I also had the luxury of being the teammate of Bryce Cotton, who's considered the GOAT over there in my eyes," he said.
Cousins described South East Melbourne Phoenix head coach Josh King -- the pair linked up in Puerto Rico last season -- as a "little rocket" who's "a really knowledgeable coach, pays attention to detail, fully engaged in the project in front of him. It was a very short stint, but I really appreciated our time together."
Then, there's the question of why Cousins never played in the NBL after his NBA career, despite the interest on both sides. He says offers came, but the timing never worked.
"I've had some offers in the past," Cousins said.
"A lot of the times when it came to me picking where I played, it was about my own personal convenience: the length of schedule, the travel schedule, things of that nature. I had EuroLeague offers, offers from China, offers from Australia. I pretty much had an offer from anywhere that had basketball."
The NBL's loss, at least, is Melbourne's gain when, at least for one weekend in May, Cousins will finally make his way to Australia.