DeMarcus Cousins vs. Kawhi Leonard: Career Scoring Comparison

We break down the scoring legacies of Kawhi Leonard and DeMarcus Cousins to determine who has the better numbers. Here you can compare their career totals, points per game, games of 40+ points, 50+, etc. and their year-by-year scoring averages side by side, both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Kawhi Leonard has better scoring stats than DeMarcus Cousins in averages and totals, both in the regular season and Playoffs. However, we won't stop there and we'll go into detail to analyze what these statistics are made up of, from how many games they had in each threshold (30+ points, 40+, 50+, etc.) to their season-by-season scoring averages.

Career Numbers
Who has the better scoring stats?

Points in the Regular Season

In his 14 NBA regular seasons played, Kawhi Leonard averages 0.5 points more than DeMarcus Cousins in his 11 seasons (20.1 points against 19.6), and he also scored a total of 2,016 points more (14,818 vs. 12,802).

Points Per Game

Seasons
DeMarcus Cousins 19.6
11
Kawhi Leonard 20.1
+0.5
14

Total Points

Seasons
DeMarcus Cousins 12,802
11
Kawhi Leonard 14,818
+2,016
14

Points in the Playoffs

Similar to what happens in the regular season, in the NBA postseason Kawhi Leonard has a better career point average than DeMarcus Cousins (+13.1 points per game) and he also scored more points (+2,966).

Points Per Game

Playoffs
DeMarcus Cousins 8.4
3
Kawhi Leonard 21.5
+13.1
12

Total Points

Playoffs
DeMarcus Cousins 167
3
Kawhi Leonard 3,133
+2,966
12

Points by Thresholds

Regular Season

50+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 2
+2
Kawhi Leonard 0

40+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 13
+5
Kawhi Leonard 8

30+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 97
Kawhi Leonard 119
+22

20+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 316
Kawhi Leonard 388
+72

10+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 542
Kawhi Leonard 642
+100

1+ Point Games (games with points)

DeMarcus Cousins 650
Kawhi Leonard 733
+83

0 Point Games (games without points)

DeMarcus Cousins 4
Kawhi Leonard 4

Playoffs

40+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 0
Kawhi Leonard 5
+5

30+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 0
Kawhi Leonard 36
+36

20+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 0
Kawhi Leonard 80
+80

10+ Point Games

DeMarcus Cousins 8
Kawhi Leonard 128
+120

1+ Point Games (games with points)

DeMarcus Cousins 20
Kawhi Leonard 146
+126

0 Point Games (games without points)

DeMarcus Cousins 0
Kawhi Leonard 0

Career Shooting Stats Comparison

more >>

Regular Season

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
DeMarcus Cousins 19.6 7.0 15.2 46.0 0.7 2.0 33.1 5.0 6.7 73.7 11 654
difference:+0.5+0.3+0.5+3.9+0.9+2.1+6.1+1.1+2.2+12.3+3+83
Kawhi Leonard 20.1 7.3 14.7 49.8 1.6 4.1 39.2 3.9 4.5 86.0 14 737

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
DeMarcus Cousins 12,802 4,562 9,924 46.0 426 1,288 33.1 3,252 4,411 73.7 11 654
difference:+2,016+822+880+3.9+768+1,758+6.1+396+1,090+12.3+3+83
Kawhi Leonard 14,818 5,384 10,804 49.8 1,194 3,046 39.2 2,856 3,321 86.0 14 737

Playoffs

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
DeMarcus Cousins 8.4 3.0 6.2 47.6 0.6 1.4 39.3 1.9 2.7 70.4 3 20
difference:+13.1+4.7+8.8+3.7+1.1+2.9+0.6+2.5+2.5+13.7+9+126
Kawhi Leonard 21.5 7.7 15.0 51.3 1.7 4.3 39.9 4.4 5.2 84.1 12 146

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
DeMarcus Cousins 167 59 124 47.6 11 28 39.3 38 54 70.4 3 20
difference:+2,966+1,061+2,061+3.7+238+596+0.6+606+712+13.7+9+126
Kawhi Leonard 3,133 1,120 2,185 51.3 249 624 39.9 644 766 84.1 12 146

Year by Year Points Average Comparison

NBA Champion = NBA Champion

Regular Season

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 14.1
+6.2
201181
Kawhi Leonard 7.9
201264

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 18.1
+6.2
201264
Kawhi Leonard 11.9
201358

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 17.1
+4.3
201375
Kawhi Leonard 12.8
2014NBA Champion66

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 22.7
+6.2
201471
Kawhi Leonard 16.5
201564

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 24.1
+2.9
201559
Kawhi Leonard 21.2
201672

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 26.9
+1.4
201665
Kawhi Leonard 25.5
201774

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 27.0
+10.8
201772
Kawhi Leonard 16.2
20189

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 25.2
201848
Kawhi Leonard 26.6
+1.4
2019NBA Champion60

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 16.3
201930
Kawhi Leonard 27.1
+10.8
202057

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 8.9
202141
Kawhi Leonard 24.8
+15.9
202152

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 9.0
202248
Kawhi Leonard 23.8
+14.8
202352

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 9.0
202248
Kawhi Leonard 23.7
+14.7
202468

Kawhi Leonard's additional seasons:

* Kawhi Leonard played 2 seasons more than DeMarcus Cousins in the NBA.

In those years—his seasons 13 to 14, from 2025 to 2026—he averaged 21.5 points in a total of 41 regular season games.

Playoffs

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20110
Kawhi Leonard 8.6
+8.6
201214

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20120
Kawhi Leonard 13.5
+13.5
201321

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20130
Kawhi Leonard 14.3
+14.3
2014NBA Champion23

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20140
Kawhi Leonard 20.3
+20.3
20157

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20150
Kawhi Leonard 22.5
+22.5
201610

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20160
Kawhi Leonard 27.7
+27.7
201712

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20170
Kawhi Leonard -
DNP
20180

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins -
DNP
20180
Kawhi Leonard 30.5
+30.5
2019NBA Champion24

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 7.6
20198
Kawhi Leonard 28.2
+20.6
202013

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 7.6
20217
Kawhi Leonard 30.4
+22.8
202111

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 10.6
20225
Kawhi Leonard 34.5
+23.9
20232

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
DeMarcus Cousins 10.6
20225
Kawhi Leonard 12.0
+1.4
20242

Kawhi Leonard's additional Playoffs:

* During his 2 additional NBA seasons, Kawhi Leonard played in one postseason. In those postseasons he averaged 25.0 points in a total of 7 games.