There is a sense around the Los Angeles Lakers that Kobe Bryant’s retirement has allowed them to move forward as a franchise.
Guard D’Angelo Russell told Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical that the team’s home opener, a 120-114 win over Houston, felt less like a Bryant game and more like a Laker home game.
“I’ll tell you what it felt like: It felt like a home game,” Russell said Wednesday after the game. “Last year, we had Kobe and the fans. We had some diehard Lakers fans, and Kobe fans. But we had so many guys who didn’t have identities for the fans to recognize. But today, it felt like a home game.
“You go to Utah, or Houston – and they’re rooting for their team. Here, this is the home of the NBA. People come to the see the show, too. Don’t get me wrong: They’re all Lakers fans, they’re incredible, but they want to see the show, too.”
Russell has given plenty of signals that he was one of the Lakers more hindered than most by Bryant’s presence and spotlight. It’s not just as far as the fan support goes. Bryant’s presence impacted the Lakers on the floor, too. Now, the Lakers can focus on development and improvement, and that’s a big deal.
