Athletes and analysts rarely see eye-to-eye. While one’s job is to perform at the highest level in front of millions of fans, the other’s is to nitpick their flaws and critique their performances, despite never competing at that level.

Most athletes turn a blind eye to analysts, but DeMarcus Cousins is among the minority who aren’t afraid to call them out.

During an appearance on Dwight Howard’s Above the Rim podcast, the former Kings star took an unprovoked shot at Brian Windhorst while explaining how much he values an analyst’s take. He said,

““I put it to you like this. If I walk into a room and LeBron James is in there, like we can arguably say one of the greatest to ever touch a basketball, and he acknowledges me, that mean way more than motherf***ing Brian Windhorst… telling me I’m great.”

Howard concurred with Cousins’ take and claimed anyone who hadn’t been in the “trenches“ wasn’t fit to judge a player’s performance.

The four-time All-Star responded with another wild jibe at Windhorst, saying

“Motherf****r can’t walk up a flight of stairs, he gets to determine what’s great and what’s not?”

Howard posted Cousins’ rant on X with a caption that read, “Man lol.” He also added a GIF of the Family Guy character Peter Griffin, seemingly as another jibe at Windhorst.

It’s unclear why Cousins went after the analyst. He hasn’t said anything crude about the former Kings star of late.

His resentment seemingly stems from something Windhorst had said in the past or the analyst’s criticism of another athlete.

Regardless, the center isn’t too fond of Windhorst and talk show personalities in general.

He’s upset about experts making a living off criticizing athletes despite never having played at their level.

Cousins believes athletes are more empathetic when talking to or about their peers.

Dealing with the same pressure builds camaraderie that analysts cannot relate to.

He feels that only those talented or hard-working enough to make it to the top reserve the right to critique a fellow athlete’s performance.

The four-time All-Star chose Windhorst as a target to make his disdain for the ‘hot takes’ culture apparent.

Mocking athletes and reveling in their misery to go viral has become a standard practice among analysts on talk shows, which Cousins despises.