Former Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins came extremely close to re-creating the “Malice at the Palace” on Monday. Cousins tried to fight fans after a wild ejection during a Puerto Rico basketball league game.
The incident occurred in the fourth quarter of the contest. Cousins — a member of the Guaynabo Mets — appeared to get into a verbal altercation with a fan on the side of the court. Cousins grabbed his crotch in front of the fan, who responded by flipping off Cousins. The center then touched the man multiple times before teammates stepped in.
Cousins was ejected from the contest, but the incident wasn’t over. As Cousins was being led back through the tunnel, he took a swipe at an angry fan and stuck up his middle finger at the crowd. At that point, multiple fans threw drinks at Cousins, who then attempted to go after the fans.
Cousins was held back by multiple security members, who prevented what could have been a much nastier incident.
Cousins, 34, hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season. A former first-round pick, Cousins emerged as a future superstar early in his career before injuries slowed him.
Advertisement
Since leaving the NBA, Cousins has continued his professional basketball career in various leagues around the world. He initially joined the Guaynabo Mets in 2023, but he also played in Taiwan and Mongolia before re-joining the Mets for the 2025 season.
It’s unclear whether Cousins will continue playing for the Mets following Monday’s ejection and near-fight, which drew comparisons to the “Malice at the Palace.”
During an NBA game in 2004, Metta World Peace — then known as Ron Artest — went into the stands and fought fans at The Palace at Auburn Hills, where the Detroit Pistons used to play. Multiple players got involved in the scuffle, leading to multiple suspensions and charges from law enforcement.
The Cousins incident didn’t rise to that level Monday, but it’s tough to see him getting another shot in the league considering how bad the situation looked.
