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HomeLos Angeles LakersDeMarcus Cousins Questions NBA’s Decision To Rescind Luka Dončić’s Technical Foul
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić. Rich Storry/Getty Images
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DeMarcus Cousins Questions NBA’s Decision To Rescind Luka Dončić’s Technical Foul

Nitish Singh

The NBA’s decision to rescind a technical foul issued to Luka Donćić has sparked a wider conversation about consistency, with DeMarcus Cousins openly questioning how such calls are handled across the league.

The technical, initially assessed during the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Orlando Magic, would have been Dončić’s 16th of the season, triggering an automatic one-game suspension. 

Instead, the league reviewed the incident and removed it, allowing him to suit up against the Detroit Pistons.

Cousins, speaking on Run It Back, made it clear his frustration wasn’t directed at Dončić himself, but at what he sees as uneven enforcement.

“My issue isn’t with Luka,” Cousins said. “It’s how the league picks and chooses… If this is Draymond Green, it’s not getting rescinded.”

That comparison is central to his argument. Green’s history with technical fouls and on-court altercations has shaped how officials and the league respond to him. Cousins’ point is that reputations appear to influence outcomes, even when the situations may be similar on the surface.

The original technical came after an exchange between Dončić and Magic center Goga Bitadze. Dončić later claimed the comments directed at him crossed a line by involving his family, while Bitadze denied that version of events. With no clear public explanation from the league, the reversal has only added to the scrutiny.

Was NBA Wrong For Rescinding Luka Dončić’s Technical Foul?

Situations like this tend to sit in a grey area. The NBA does review technical fouls postgame, and rescinding them is not unprecedented. However, Cousins’ criticism reflects a broader sentiment that these decisions can feel inconsistent, especially when player history and profile come into play.

From the league’s perspective, each incident is evaluated individually. From the outside, though, it can look selective, particularly when a suspension is avoided in a high-profile situation.

That is where the debate sits. Not necessarily on whether the call itself was right or wrong, but on whether similar cases are being treated the same way across the board.

Cousins’ comments have added fuel to that discussion, one that tends to resurface whenever discipline, reputation, and star power intersect.

DeMarcus Cousins Still Has Some Good Words For Luka Dončić

Not long ago, DeMarcus Cousins wasn’t sold on Luka Dončić as an MVP candidate. That stance has changed, and he hasn’t tried to dress it up.

Cousins admitted as much during the same podcast, acknowledging he got it wrong and backing the Los Angeles Lakers star as a First Team All-NBA selection. He also went a step further, saying it might be time to seriously include Dončić in the MVP conversation.

“As of lately, yes, I would put Luka as a First Team All-NBA guy, just based on this stretch of basketball, the drastic improvement with the team,” Cousins said. “And on top of that, they’re winning games on a consistent basis in a very tough Western Conference.”

“As of right now, talking about Luka, I would say he’s the best player in the NBA,” he added.

However, the shift comes after a stretch that has been difficult to ignore.

During the Lakers’ recent winning run, Dončić has been putting up numbers that stand out even by his standards. He has consistently carried the scoring load while still contributing as a rebounder and playmaker, helping the team build momentum in a tightly packed Western Conference.

Cousins had previously placed players like Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ahead of Dončić in the MVP race. But watching this recent run, he changed his view.

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Tags :Los Angeles LakersLuka Doncic

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