After being called out by his former Lakers teammate, veteran NBA point guard Dennis Schroder fired back this week in a viral quote. During a chat with Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Schroder called out Russell’s immaturity and said he doesn’t understand why he’s acting this way.
“I don’t understand it. But at the end of the day, it just shows off immaturity,” said Schroder. “You’re not really mature if you’re just keeping somebody’s name in his mouth and just running it. I don’t understand.”
A few days ago, Russell called out Schroder by name in an exclusive story. He claimed that Schroder’s relationship with head coach Darvin Ham held him back from reaching his true potential and implied that Ham’s favoritism toward Dennis hurt the team’s performance.
Obviously, Schroder disagrees with that assessment and believes it’s just another display of immaturity for the young Lakers guard. This season, while he’s been impressive on the court as a shooter and ball handler in the backcourt, his focus and consistency remain major uncertainties.
In the case of D’Lo, his past is reason enough to question his maturity level at almost 30 years old. Russell, an 8-year veteran, has been mixed up in scandals before — including an infamous falling out with Nick Young after exposing his affair. During his stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Russell was blamed for fostering a toxic environment which ended when the Timberwolves finally traded him away in exchange for experienced veteran guard Mike Conley.
Now, back in Los Angeles, Russell is facing arguably the best stretch of his career but questions remain about his ability to lead when the pressure is on and whether or not he can put his own ego aside for the betterment of the team.
The Last Chance For D’Angelo Russell
As a former No. 2 overall pick, D’Angelo Russell faced heightened expectations from the very beginning. He entered a Lakers team that was at the lowest point of their existence and ultimately failed to become the star they needed him to be.
When he returned last year as part of a mid-season trade, it was a shock to everyone around the league, especially Lakers fans who never expected him to don the Purple and Gold again. Despite some division over his return, fans embraced D’Angelo as the replacement for Russell Westbrook and he’s proven to be a much better fit so far.
Through 62 games this season, Russell is averaging 17.8 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game on 46.8% shooting. He’s separated himself as the team’s third-best player this season, and he’s become essential to their offensive success.
Even so, Russell is facing the most pressure of anyone to play well in the postseason. Between his beef with Dennis Schroder and his history of inconsistent play, he’s walking on thin ice already this season, and the Lakers need him to step up in a big way if they are to believe he is one who can lead them in the future.
On the court, he’s doing everything he needs to do right now. But if he wants to avoid causing any distractions then it may be best to stop speaking on his former teammates.
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