Whether he’s handling video cameras or talking with reporters, D’Angelo Russell isn’t exactly the most tactful. That remained the case when Russell spoke with ESPN’s Sam Alipour for a feature in ESPN The Magazine.
Russell, who is entering his second year in the league, shared with Alipour how things will be different this season for the Los Angeles Lakers without Kobe Bryant in the lineup.
“We’re all about playing together now,” Russell told ESPN the Magazine’s Alipour. “It’s not about one guy anymore. It’s about sacrificing for the team.”
Though the comments come off as harsh, Russell says Bryant, who won five championships with the Lakers, deserved the attention during his farewell season.
“Kobe deserved every bit of attention he got in his last year, but there’s freedom in Kobe not being around.”
Though Kobe fans may not react well to the comments, it’s hard to argue with the contents of Russell’s remarks. The Lakers last season were about sending Kobe away in style, not developing players.
In fact, Russell averaged greater than an assist and four points per game more when Kobe was not on the floor. Now, without Kobe, the Lakers will have leadership voids to fill, but that’s why they have new coach Luke Walton and a veteran like Metta World Peace around. Now Russell just needs to learn about what NOT to say to the media, which is something he still hasn’t learned.
H/T CBS Sports
