Cousins questioned himself during Achilles rehab

DeMarcus Cousins sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

Just under a year after rupturing his left Achilles tendon, the Golden State Warriors center took part in full contact 5-on-5 play on Monday afternoon with the Santa Cruz Warriors - their G-League affiliate.

Cousins' journey back has pushed him on many different levels and he's just happy to be back on a court.

"It's been extremely humbling. It really tested me as a person, as a man, as an athlete," Cousins said, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "I've had a lot of dark days, a lot of good days. I've questioned myself a lot. But I found a way to overcome those bad feelings."

While Cousins has learned a lot about himself during his time away from the game, his mind is now set on moving forward and putting the past behind him.

"I don't really want to sit and just harp on it because I'm past those parts, those moments," Cousins said. "I've learned from them. I've grown from them. I've grown a lot through this process.

"My mind has expanded a lot. I'm extremely grateful for this game and all I want to do is get back out there and play the game that I love to play," he added.

Cousins took it upon himself to get some conditioning in the G-League. It's still unknown if he'll suit up for the Santa Cruz Warriors before making his long-awaited NBA return.

"I just want to be in the best rhythm possible before I actually step on the floor for an NBA game," Cousins said, according to Logan Murdock of The Mercury News.