DeMarcus Cousins was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 5th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. The Kentucky center was one of the draft’s most highly regarded young big men and entered the league after just one college season.
The draft was held on June 24, 2010, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. John Wall went first overall to Washington, while Cousins became the second player chosen. His selection continued Kentucky’s strong presence in that draft, which also included Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe, and Daniel Orton.
Cousins quickly became known for his powerful interior scoring, rebounding, passing, and emotional intensity. He spent the first several seasons of his NBA career in Sacramento and developed into a multiple-time All-Star, eventually earning All-NBA recognition.
The wording “overall pick” matters: “5th” means Cousins was the fifth player selected across the entire draft, not merely the fifth center or fifth player chosen by Sacramento. The Kings had the fifth selection and used it on Cousins.