On a recent episode of Run It Back on FanDuel TV, former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins shared which NBA coach he would avoid in a physical confrontation, naming Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone.
Cousins, known for his intensity on the court, revealed that Malone, his former coach, has a reputation for toughness that isn’t widely recognized.
The discussion started with Run It Back co-host Michelle Beadle asking Cousins about Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who recently expressed support for players standing up for themselves physically on the court.
When Beadle questioned Cousins on which coach he wouldn’t want to challenge, he answered without hesitation, “Mike Malone.”
Cousins elaborated on Malone’s reputation, noting that “he’s known for putting hands on coaches” and cautioning, “don’t get it twisted…I know for a fact that he’s a fighter.”
Malone, currently leading the Denver Nuggets to success, was Cousins’ coach from 2013 to 2014 in Sacramento as well as in Denver in 2022.
