It’s been years since D’Angelo Russell and Nick Young’s infamous fallout, but the beef clearly hasn’t been squashed. In the wake of Russell’s latest text message scandal involving a woman named “Jaw Morant,” Young resurfaced with a cold but comedic reaction. In a viral video posted online, the former Lakers guard praised the woman at the center of the controversy and got in a few not-so-subtle jabs at his old teammate.
“Oh man! What can I say? God answers all prayers,” Young said in a chat with the media. “Jaw Morant, she’s the GOAT. You know, shoutout to Swaggy Nation, the people who have been riding with me from day one. Snitches never prosper.”
Years ago, Nick Young (former Lakers sharpshooter) was exposed for cheating on his partner, Iggy Azalea. They were in a very public and exclusive relationship, but things reached a breaking point when one of Young’s teammates at the time (D’Angelo Russell) let it slip that he was being unfaithful. Young was immediately put on blast, and his relationship with Azalea never recovered.
Of course, as the one who snitched on his teammate, Russell also received a lot of backlash at the time, and it’s ultimately what led to his exit from the Lakers. After he snitched, the entire Lakers locker room turned on him, and it took years for his reputation to recover. Fast forward to today, and the roles have reversed.
This time, instead of being the leaker, Russell is the one who got exposed after a series of texts between him and a woman who goes by “Jaw Morant” was leaked to the public. In the post, she told him he had ‘some explaining to do’ while accusing him of cheating on his partner, Laura Ivaniukas. It’s some serious accusations from ‘Jaw’, and it’s already causing some major damage to D’Lo’s image.
It’s a full-circle moment for Young, who now gets to watch karma catch up to one of his least favorite people in the league. Just like he had to endure back in the day, D’Lo will be facing questions about his character as this scandal threatens to become a bigger distraction. All along the way, Young will be enjoying the show and wishing for the worst for his former Lakers teammate.
Fortunately for D’Angelo, he’s no longer in Los Angeles. After signing a deal with the Mavericks this summer, he’s got the chance for a fresh start that could revitalize his career. Now with a team facing minimal expectations, D’Lo could thrive in the backcourt as a capable scorer, shooter, and playmaker. At the very least, he gives the Mavericks some depth and flexibility at the point guard position (until Kyrie Irving returns from his ACL injury). If he plays well enough, Russell might be able to help the community forget this cheating scandal, but there will always be those who remember.
This latest twist has brought back one of the NBA’s most infamous locker room dramas, reminding fans that bad blood doesn’t always fade. While D’Angelo Russell has worked hard to repair his image in the years since the original scandal, Nick Young clearly hasn’t forgotten. Whether you see this as karma, comedy, or coincidence, one thing is clear: Swaggy P hasn’t missed a beat.
