Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins will be making his first ever appearance in the NBA All-Star game this season as he is slated to take the spot that was previously to be filled by Los Angeles Lakers star shooting guard Kobe Bryant.
Bryant, having been voted to play in a record 17th consecutive All-Star game will be forced to miss the game, along with likely the remainder of the season after suffering a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder and electing to receive surgery to heal the injury.
The loss of Bryant for the remainder of the season will likely cause even more struggles for a Lakers team that is struggling to achieve any level of success that the storied franchise has frequently enjoyed in the past.
Cousins has certainly earned the right to play in his first ever all star game as so far this season he is ranked 5th overall in scoring, averaging 23.8 points a game, and the 3rd overall ranked in rebounding, averaging 12.3 per game.
If Cousins does indeed manage to keep his pace of play at the same level he has been at all year, he would join the likes of Kevin Love, Shaq, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett as the only players in NBA history to average 23 points and 12 rebounds in a season.
Cousins is the first Sacramento Kings player to be selected to play in the NBA All Star since 2004, and this trip will likely be the first of many for a player many consider to be one of the fastest developing big men in the game today.
Although Cousins has been selected to replace Kobe on the roster, it remains to be seen who will replace Bryant in the starting lineup for the Western Conference in this years edition of the game.
Even without Bryant, this year is setting up to be a great All Star game.