DeMarcus Cousins Tells Knicks Star to Slap Desmond Bane

In a recent viral moment during the New York Knicks' weekend clash with the Orlando Magic, Magic guard Desmond Bane was caught on camera lobbing a ball at Knicks forward OG Anunoby as he laid on the ground after refs blew the whistle.

Anunoby reacted by standing up and giving Bane a light push, seeming to shout "what are you doing?" It was a more than reasonable reaction to a move that earned Bane a technical foul and has been flamed across the league as "nasty" and "clown behavior."

DeMarcus Cousins Reacts to Desmond Bane Lobbing Ball at OG Anunoby

However, former NBA All-Star and broadcaster DeMarcus Cousins doesn't agree with the calm and collected way Anunoby handled the situation.

“I‘m not saying punch him in the face, but maybe slap the s--- out of him,” Cousins said. “That’s crazy. Yeah, I’m not going for that; that’s crazy."

"I'm not saying punch him in the face, but maybe slap the sh*t out of him." 😳

Boogie Cousins was not feeling OG Anunoby's response to Desmond Bane throwing the ball at him 👀@MichelleDBeadle | @boogiecousins | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/dQnoNPGfgI
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 8, 2025

One of the most mystifying parts of the incident is why, exactly, Bane decided to lob the ball at Anunoby. The Knicks forward collided with Bane's teammate, guard Jalen Suggs, knocking both players to the ground. Bane wasn't involved in the scuffle, but threw the ball at Anunoby anyway.

Desmond Bane t'd up for flinging ball at OG Anunoby pic.twitter.com/m5LYezhI4z
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 7, 2025

Later on in the game, Bane and Anunoby were captured smiling and talking, seemingly putting the incident behind them. While Cousins may not agree with that response, the league has not issued any additional punishment to Bane and likely won't since Anunoby wasn't injured and the game continued on without further incident. The Knicks went on to take the victory over the Magic 106-100.

Anunoby's reaction after the game betrayed a similarly cool-headed attitude to his actions during the game, even extending a kind word about Bane.

“I was confused at first, then it was funny,” he said to media. “I like Desmond. … He’s a good dude.”

“I should have caught it,” he continued.

Dec 7, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) takes a three point shot in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It's not the first time this season that Bane has been in trouble for similar behavior. Last month he was ejected after throwing a ball at Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwum, though Bane later admitted that he fouled Okongwum "hard".

Regardless of if he should have handled the incident differently, as Cousins believes, Anunoby is having a stellar season, filling in gaps for a Knicks squad that has seen some of it's best players off the court due to injury. He's logging 15.9 points per game, with a 40.9 3-point percentage and 48.5 field goal percentage.

The Knicks are second in the East, with a record of 16-7, falling behind only the Detroit Pistons. With leaders like Anunoby on board, a run for the Championship just might be in their future

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