Kings' Cousins on George Karl hiring: 'Everybody knows he's a great coach'

It seems like temperamental center DeMarcus Cousins's reported disdain for newly minted Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl was a tad overstated.

Cousins spoke about his team's latest hiring during All-Star Weekend festivities on Friday and had some kind words for Karl.

"So many things have happened at the same time, we haven't really gotten a chance to talk," Cousins told James Herbert of CBS Sports. "Everybody knows he's a great coach, and I'm excited to move forward."

Karl inked a four-year deal to head up the Kings on Thursday. Karl will replace outgoing interim head coach Tyrone Corbin, who presided over a tumultuous 7-21 stretch in Sacramento.

Cousins' approval is huge for the Kings, as the first-time All-Star is the unquestioned franchise cornerstone. This season, Cousins is averaging 23.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while making tremendous strides as a defender. 

Karl has coached in the NBA in portions of four decades, during which he's accrued a Coach of the Year award and a record of 1,131-756 (.599) in the regular season.