Ex-NBA All-Star signs to play in Taiwan

DeMarcus Cousins has signed with a new international team.

The Taiwan Beer Leopards announced via their official Facebook page Monday that Cousins has signed with the team. Cousins said in a message to fans that he is “excited to come over and put on a show for you.”

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the contract Cousins signed is for four games over a 10-day period. The 33-year-old is expected to join the team in mid-January.

Taiwan will be Cousins’ second international stop, as he also played for the Guaynabo Mets of the Puerto Rican Professional Basketball League earlier this year.

Cousins last played in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets during the 2021-22 season. He averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds across 31 games with the team. He has been searching for another opportunity in the NBA since but has not been able to make a roster.

Cousins, a four-time All-Star, has dealt with a number of significant lower-body injuries during the latter part of his career. His best years were with the Sacramento Kings, who drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick in 2010. Cousins was then traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017, and it was not long before injuries began taking a toll.