DeMarcus Cousins‘ offseason is going from bad to worse, as the injured Lakers center is being accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend after she didn’t allow their seven-year-old son to attend Cousins’ wedding to his new girlfriend, according to a TMZ report.
TMZ obtained court documents and a police report filed by Cousins’ ex, Christy West, claiming that he threatened to “put a bullet through her f—ing head.” TMZ’s report also includes an audio recording of the alleged threat — West is “adamant” that the voice on the phone call is Cousins’.
According to TMZ, West has filed court documents in Alabama seeking a restraining order against Cousins, claiming that he has threatened to kill her on a separate occasion as well. A police spokesperson in Mobile, Alabama tells TMZ that they’ve opened an investigation into her allegations.
The latest news on Cousins comes less than two weeks after word broke that he has suffered a torn ACL that will sideline him for most or all of the 2019-20 season. The four-time All-Star has faced questions about his temperament and demeanor throughout his NBA career, and has increasingly had to battle health issues within the last two years. This offseason’s developments won’t help alleviate those concerns on either front.
If the NBA investigates the allegations against Cousins and determines that they’re credible, the league could take action against the big man, fining and/or suspending him. Should Cousins be suspended, he’d have to serve that ban after being medically cleared to return from his ACL tear.
The Lakers have issued the following statement of their own, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com (Twitter link):
“We are aware of the allegation involving DeMarcus Cousins and, of course, take this claim seriously. We are in the process of gathering information and will reserve further comment at this time.”
