New Orleans Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins wants Confederate statues torn down

DeMarcus Cousins of the New Orleans Pelicans is the most recent sports personality to voice his opinion on Confederate statues in the United States.

After being asked about the place Confederate statutes in the United States, Cousins responded simply and colorfully. “Tear all them motherf—–s down,” he said while being filmed in an airport by TMZ.

The placement of Confederate statues has become a hot button issue over the last few weeks. It reached a boiling point during the domestic terroristic attack in Charlottesville, VA on Aug. 12 that left one woman dead.

The magnifying glass on the placement of Confederate statues has only enlarged since then.

Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale weighed in on the matter: “Take ’em down.” And reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, who starred for the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, made his sentiments clear in an interview with Sports Illustrated: “I think [the statues] have no place in our society right now.”

Cousins, the outspoken center for the Pelicans, has seen more than his fair share of Confederate statues. He grew up in Mobile, Alabama and spent one year in college in Lexington, Kentucky at the University of Kentucky. Yesterday, the city council of Lexington voted to remove two Confederate statues from a government courthouse.

In the brief airport interaction with Cousins, he said little else, beyond that he did not respect President Trump.

Cousins is coming off of his third consecutive All-Star season in Sacramento and averaged 27 points and 11 rebounds per game. He was traded to the Pelicans in February to team with Anthony Davis and form one of the most talented frontcourt duos in years.

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In New Orleans, Cousins will certainly make an impact on the court. Back in the South, he also may make a further impact on the discourse surrounding Confederate statues and race in America.