At LAX on Thursday, DeMarcus Cousins broke down how defenders can make Victor Wembanyama uncomfortable—starting with physicality, crowding his space, and denying him the rhythm that fuels his postseason production.
DeMarcus Cousins didn’t pretend it would be easy at LAX on Thursday.
Guarding Victor Wembanyama. he said. is “probably easier said than done. ” calling it “something new to the game in general.” The former NBA All-Star was blunt about what makes Wembanyama different—he’s “one of one”—and why that matters the moment you step into defensive possession against a 7-foot-4 forward.
Cousins’ first key: make the game uncomfortable. His best chance, he argued, is to “try to make the game physical for him, make it really uncomfortable.” He added that physicality is “limited in today’s game,” but insisted that “as far as whatever’s allowed, you try to be as physical as possible.”
Then he went after a more specific target: timing and comfort. Cousins said defenders can’t allow Wembanyama to get into rhythm, emphasizing one tactic above all—“crowding his space, crowding him to the point where he’s never really comfortable in his movements throughout the game.”
One reason that approach carries weight is Wembanyama’s build. The league’s tallest player weighs 235 lbs, though he’s bulked up every year since being picked first overall in 2023. Cousins pointed to physical strength as an area where Wembanyama can be tested—trying to make him feel the wear and tear of movement rather than letting him play freely.
The stakes are obvious in the postseason numbers. Wembanyama is averaging over 22 points and 12 rebounds a game during the playoffs, and he scored 41 points and grabbed 24 boards on Monday during game one of the Western Conference Finals.
Cousins’ comments land in the middle of a high-pressure matchup: the Spurs big man has his squad in a hotly contested battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The winner will advance to the NBA Finals, where they’ll face the winner of the Knicks and Cavs.
And as Cousins tries to translate “physical” into a real defensive plan against “the Alien,” the next possessions won’t wait—because slowing him down, as he said himself, is easier said than done.
DeMarcus Cousins Victor Wembanyama Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference Finals NBA playoffs NBA Finals physical defense Wembanyama rhythm