The Lakers may have the next big thing, the man who will replace Kobe Bryant as the face of the franchise. D’Angelo Russell can be real good, he can be that player where people will want to play with him.
But of course I’m just speculating, I’m confident he’s that good. I said that Jahlil Okafor is overrated and I think they took the right man for the job. And D’Angelo is ready for the challenge that being a Laker gives to you. He even wants to bring another championship to LA.
“I’ve never seen the trophy,” he told ESPN.com. “The big guy that everybody wants to play for, I’ve never seen it. Never touched it. So I wanted to take advantage of it. It’s something that I definitely want to be apart of — getting a new one up there. There’s room.“
There’s always room for gold in the Staples Center that’s for sure. Now D’Angelo is a pass first point guard and he knows that he’s the first passing point guard they’ve had since Magic, and he’s feeling the pressure.
“Definitely,” he said. “It’s a whirlwind. These guys aren’t used to losing, so for them to pick me and pick these other guys, you know they’re ready to start the rebuilding process over. We don’t know how much Kobe [Bryant] has left in the tank, but he’s a part of it. He’s a leader of it. For us to learn under him and all these young guys we have, it’s something that can really get going quick.“
Kobe will be a big part in what Russell does in his Rookie season and maybe beyond if Kobe can go past one more season. But from the looks of things, he’s confident, ready and feels lucky that he is even in LA.
“Just to have the honor to be here and know that you’re one of these valuable pieces that’s really trying to get this show back on the road, it’s a great feeling,”
“Was extremely shocked to be here,” Russell said. “I didn’t think it was going to pan out the way it did.“
I loved that the Lakers went off the curve and took D’Angelo instead of Jahlil Okafor. It was a great move and also screwed up the 76ers which made me chuckle.
Russell will do just fine in Los Angeles.
