Imagine if UAB landed DeMarcus Cousins

Unlike the past four or five seasons, Conference USA does not have a national title contender amongst its ranks.

But that doesn't mean that the conference isn't competitive. In fact, there are four teams in the league that still have a real shot at playing their way into the dance. There are potential lottery picks, potential all-americans, and even the nation's leading scorer among the C-USA ranks.

Anytime a non-BCS league can make those claims, they are having a good season.

Fans of the C-USA will be smiling, until they think about how good the league could have been.

Everyone knows about Coach Cal and what the Memphis program lost when he left. What a lot of people won't remember is that DeMarcus Cousins was ready to sign an LOI with UAB first. But he wanted a clause in the LOI saying that if Mike Davis left the school for whatever reason than Cousins' LOI would be vacated.

Obviously, Davis hasn't gone anywhere.

Which means that UAB was just one clause away from landing a guy that may have overtaken John Wall as the best freshman in the country.

Don't believe me?

Watch this interview.

Cousins compares himself to Shaq, and reporters don't even bat an eye.



Comparing Cousins to the Big Aristotle at this point in his career is a bit extreme. But that doesn't mean that he isn't one of the best players in the country. His combination of length, strength, and size make him an unstoppable force around the rim at this level. He can establish deep position anytime he pleases, and his big hands and feathery touch make him nearly automatic around the rim. If you force him out 10-12 feet, he has the quick feet and the footwork to make a move to the rim (his spin move may be the single best 1-on-1 move of any player in the country). Get him to 18 feet out, and he'll knock down a jumper over you.

Like I said, UAB definitely has talent on their roster this season. Elijah Millsap might be the best player in C-USA right now, and he may not even the Blazers most talented wing with Jamarr Sanders on the roster. Aaron Johnson is a heady leader at the point, and the Blazer bench has some quality role players on it.

You don't think Cousins would fit into the middle of that line-up perfectly?