Star guard D’Angelo Russell has become a core member of the Lakers‘ rotation but his transition was not an easy one after a long stint away from the organization. According to Russell, communication was almost non-existent when he first arrived, and it was one of the first things he sought to change upon his return to his former team.
“When I got around Draymond Green, I seen him in the film room, like really talking and really creating controversy,” said Russell, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Really challenging [teammates] and really doing that on purpose,” Russell said. “And I saw how we grew. We weren’t even a good team, but we grew because of that dialogue in the film room. Then I get here and nobody talks but Bron. I was like, ‘What the f—?’ And then I just started being vocal, and that became where my IQ is exposed now.”
The Lakers were in a pretty bad place leading up to Russell’s arrival. After a 2-10 start that season, the team was absent of hope and looked to be headed for a bottom-five finish in the West. Russell, Westbrook, who was part of that deal for D’Lo, was still coming to grips with his failure to fit in, and his presence was described as a “vampire sucking the life” out of the locker room.
At the end of their rope, the Lakers decided to trade for Russell as a last-ditch effort to save their season… and it worked to astounding success. With Westbrook gone and replaced with players like Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt, the Lakers went on a run in the final weeks of the season and managed to finish 7th in the standings for a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Lakers went all the way to the Conference Finals last season despite turmoil and chaos from day one and Russell was a huge part of that change, even if Darvin Ham was reluctant to give him the keys right away.
D’Angelo Russell Reveals The Reason Behind His Breakout Season
With averages of 18.0 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game on 47.1% shooting, D’Angelo Russell is having one of his best seasons yet and has emerged as the third-best player for the Lakers, eight behind LeBron and Davis. While most fans are thrilled that Russell has finally found a rhythm, many are wondering what may have holding him back this whole time.
According to Russell himself, a struggle to earn Darvin Ham’s trust may have played a prominent role in his slowed development. Last season, the Lakers coach was accused of showing favoritism toward certain players that he’s had a history with — including Dennis Schroder, who often ate Russell’s minutes.
This season, it wasn’t until the team hit rock bottom that Russell finally woke up. After being the subject of trade rumors for weeks, Russell responded to the noise and made himself virtually untradeable through his sheer dominance.
Now, as a vocal leader and closer for the team, he has stepped into that additional star role the Lakers have been looking to fill for some time now. If he can keep up this pace and show up in the big moments, the Lakers may still pose a threat to the top Western teams.
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