In this episode of the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green interviews former NBA All‑Star DeMarcus Cousins, with occasional interjections from sports commentator Colin Cowherd. The conversation centers on the chronic instability of the Sacramento Kings franchise during Cousins' tenure, highlighting frequent coaching changes (six coaches in six and a half years), multiple general managers, and two ownership groups. Both Green and Cousins argue that the league often blames players for poor performance while overlooking systemic organizational failures. Cousins recounts his personal challenges adapting to constantly shifting systems, the pressure of being a young 19‑year‑old entering a chaotic environment, and how the lack of a stable front office hindered his development. The dialogue also touches on the broader issue of “bad” NBA organizations, noting the absence of media rankings that label the worst franchises, and suggests that such instability is more common than recognized. Throughout, the tone remains conversational and reflective, with a critical stance toward the Kings' management and empathy for players caught in such environments.
Chapters
Welcome to the brand new Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss out on any of our content. And you get drafted to an organization at the time that was a lot like the organization I got drafted to at the time. It was a laughingstock of the NBA, was through coaches every 2 years.
Every 1 year, bro.
Crazy, like the turnover. In the organization, no stability. Teams walk into your gym, it's a night off for them because—
Whoa, relax.
No, that was the Warriors too. What I'm saying is like, these organizations— Oh, you gonna put up a fight now? No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm talking about the organization. You get drafted to the organization and the way teams looked at these organizations was like, oh, we got a night off when we walk in.
Absolutely.
You know what I'm saying? Like that was the Warriors, that was the Kings. It's the Pistons now. Like, that's how the organization was looked at. You get drafted into that organization, and in spite of all of that, in spite of the coaching changes, the instability, because no one always talk about this, no one ever says, yo, it's the organization fault. It's always the player fault. By the way, 19 years old, it can't really be my fault. Like, 19.
Right.
"You're supposed to be helping me out." But it don't really happen that way. They blame the player. And in spite of all of that, you go there and you, from the time you get there, all rookie teams, all NBAs, All-Stars didn't wanna give you your due at first.
Mm-hmm.
But they had to, you forced them to. What was it like going to an organization like that and then having to navigate all of those things with the coaching changes, the front office, then there was an ownership change while you was there. All of those things happened. And what was it like for you having to navigate that as a young 19-year-old? It was tough and it was confusing.
And you know, it was even worse for me because I was coming from a situation at Kentucky where, you know, Cal treated us like pros. You know what I mean? He was preparing us for that next level. So I remember, I'll never forget this, but shout out to my vet, you know, San Francisco, Francisco Garcia, I'm sorry. Cisco was, you know, my vet. He might've, at the time, my rookie, he might've been 5, 6 years in. So that just kind of showed like, that's not a real vet.
Not at all.
But at the time, like, that was my vet. But I remember in my rookie season, You know, it was something simple. I don't even remember what the task was, but I kind of like, at Kentucky, it was like, I never did anything like that. Then I came to the Kings and in my mind it's like, this is even, this is a step.
Yes.
Higher, even more, you know what I mean? So this is the elite level of basketball. So my expectations were, you know, just, they were off, you know, to say the least. It was a simple task. And I remember Cisco saying something like, yo, you really was spoiled at Kentucky. Like, and in my head I'm like, damn, maybe I was like, but at the same time, I'm like, this is an even more elite level. So why is it being, you know, looked at as me being spoiled? So long story short, Cisco ended up eventually getting traded to the Houston Rockets. Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
And I remember when he went there, he ended up tapping in with me like a little later. And he was like, man, I remember that day I called you spoiled. Like, he was like, I was wrong. Like we were in the shithole. Like, and I'm like, I knew I wasn't tripping, bro. And it was, and not to, I'm not, you know, I'm not here to like shit on the Kings or anything like that. That's just, you know, in sports you have up and down years and you know, I just so happened to come in at a point where it was down. The organization was figuring itself out. You know, it was in this transition period. The owners that drafted me, you know, they were ready to move on and sell the team. So it's a lot of things I got caught up in that was just outta my control.
Absolutely.
You know, the average, you know, fan or whatever, don't quite understand that part of the business or the game. So, you know, it was easy to look at my situation and, you know, just kind of point the finger. And to be honest, a lot of it was my fault. Like I did do a lot of bonehead shit, stupid shit, but you know, that's part of growing up and becoming a man. You bump your head a few times.
Absolutely.
But you know, it was hard. It was hard figuring it out. You know, a new system every single year. Like that's tough to do. Each coach has a different system. Each coach thinks differently. Like, so, you know, just trying to find success with a new system every single year, that's really hard to do.
Absolutely.
And then on top of it, People think players create a vibe, which they do, but organization being good starts at the top.
Starts at the top.
Every single, that's with any type of organization, it starts at the top.
Mm-hmm, for sure.
It just wasn't right. It wasn't, things weren't aligned correctly and it wasn't, the Kings weren't ready to flourish yet. And like I said, I ended up, Going through a couple ownership with two ownership groups. I had three GMs and I was there 6 and a half years, had six coaches. So like I said, it was tough to navigate, but you know, at the end of the day, when it came to competing, that was my foundation. I had my own personal goals, which was to try to be the best, player I could be regardless of my situation, find a way to shine. And that was just kind of my mindset with maneuvering through that.
Nah, I mean, like I said, I think even when I look back on it, it's dope to see because, and now being in the NBA and understanding, A, what it means to be a bad organization. Like there's way more bad organizations than there are good organizations. And with that being said, and it, like I said, it goes back to my original point, which is A, we've never once in a million years saw a list come out on Bleacher Report, on The Athletic, on ESPN, talking about these are the top 5 or bottom 5 worst organizations in the league.
Right.
These are the bottom 10 worst organizations in the league.
Right.
And here's why these organizations are bad.
Right.
You can go down the list.
Right.
I've never seen an article that way.
No.
But the moment DeMarcus Cousins get ejected from a game or get a technical foul or, him and teammate have words, because that does happen amongst teammates, then that's like this big issue, you know? And it's like, oh, that's— then that's who you become.
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