Brooklyn Nets guard D’Angelo Russell appears to have quite the global fan base, as his recent visit to China saw several fans in attendance to meet him in Beijing. What’s more interesting is that these fans reportedly paid $300 each to have a chance to meet the Nets star.
These fans each paid $300 to line up and meet D’Angelo Russell in Beijing 😳🔥
(🎥 @NetsDaily )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 20, 2025
The sheer number of fans in the mall awaiting Russell’s arrival is quite incredible. Given how popular basketball is in China, it is impressive to see the kind of fan following the Nets star has on a global scale.
The 29-year-old has also done his share to appeal to his fan base in China. During his second tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, a video had surfaced of Russell speaking in Mandarin during a media event. This is a promising sight for the NBA as they continue to expand their horizons across the world.
D’Angelo Russell’s popularity could be attributed to many things. His emergence as a star with the Brooklyn Nets certainly aided his growth. His return to the Lakers in an attempt to help the team that drafted him lift another trophy also did wonders for his brand, especially considering how popular the team is on the international market. Unfortunately, this didn’t pan out in the long run.
Russell was traded midway through the 2024-25 season and found himself returning to the Nets, the franchise where his rise to stardom began. After a rather underwhelming second stint with the Purple and Gold, the guard has an opportunity to build something new with a franchise that has effectively been sent spiraling into a rebuild.
Brooklyn ended the regular season with a 26-56 record, placing them 12th in the East. While such a season should’ve instilled some hope of securing a lottery pick in the upcoming draft, the Nets haven’t been able to enjoy such good fortune.
The Nets are certainly an interesting franchise heading into the offseason. While they have very few prospects for development, they have been linked as a landing spot for some of the game’s biggest stars. They are a team in one of the biggest markets in the league and with a lot of available cap space. Needless to say, Brooklyn could be on the verge of making some big moves.
In light of this, Russell’s future with the side also looks questionable. The guard averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 assists on 36.7% FG during his second stint in Brooklyn.
While keeping in mind that he will be a free agent in the summer, the 29-year-old will be on the lookout for a contract. However, considering that he was earning $28 million last season, it is unlikely that any team will be willing to pick him up at the same value.
