Fact Check: Did the Mets sign DeMarcus Cousins? ESPN reports of former NBA All-Star leaves internet confused

Both NBA and MLB Twitter were sent into a frenzy after Adrian Wojnarowski announced that former All-Star DeMarcus Cousins has signed with the Mets. However, baseball fans will not be able to see "Boogie" Cousins pick up a bat with the New York Mets. Instead, he has signed with the Guaynabo Mets of the Puerto Rican Professional Basketball League.

"Breaking: DeMarcus Cousins is signing with the Guaynabo Mets of the Puerto Rican Professional Basketball League, sources tell @wojespn. Cousins will play there this spring as he continues to try to find a pathway back to the NBA." - ESPN

While it is unlikely that a 32-year-old NBA center with no baseball experience would sign with the New York Mets, stranger things have happened. On September 8, 2016, former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets.

Tebow spent five seasons as a member of the Mets organization as he tried to transition to another professional sport after his NFL career fizzled out. This is why many people online did not rule out the signing of DeMarcus Cousins with the same franchise that signed Tebow.

"Mets sign Free Agent Demarcus Cousins #mets #boogie" - x- A-Rod

Two-way athletes are not uncommon, especially with baseball players, as many stars in other leagues have been drafted by MLB franchises. Some of the current superstar athletes that have been drafted by MLB teams include Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, and Kyler Murray.

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DeMarcus Cousins would not be the NBA All-Star to play professional baseball

Had "Boogie" signed with the New York Mets, he would be following in the footsteps of arguably the greatest NBA player of all time, Michael Jordan. On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement, saying that he lost his desire to play basketball. He later stated that the murder of his father three months earlier helped shape his decision.

"The longest work stoppage in baseball history ended on April 2, 1995. Because he refused to cross a picket line with replacement players, Michael Jordan‘s career in baseball came to an end." - @UnionDrip

While MJ's retirement from the NBA shocked the sports world, his revelation that he signed a Minor League deal with the Chicago White Sox may have topped that. In 1994, Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a Double-A minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. He batted .202 with three home runs, 51 runs, 30 stolen bases, and 114 strikeouts.