[Article] The Ringer: D'Angelo Russell is better than you think he is

[N3LL]

I neither "hate" or "love" the kid. I don't know him. His game has some pretty big holes and I think he's got some issues with his mental approach. He needs to grow a lot. He's also in the brightest spotlight in the league the year after Kobe retired. Pressure and needed development. Not typically a good combo for a youngster.

What are these issues to his mental approach?

[stan francisco]

I neither "hate" or "love" the kid. I don't know him. His game has some pretty big holes and I think he's got some issues with his mental approach. He needs to grow a lot. He's also in the brightest spotlight in the league the year after Kobe retired. Pressure and needed development. Not typically a good combo for a youngster.

What are these issues to his mental approach?

Maybe he means a BS detox period? Or maybe easing up the me-me-me attitude a bit? Couldn't hurt.

For the record, I'm one of the first one to say Russell will be much better than most predict.

[iamworthy]

The Lakers are D’Angelo Russell’s team now

Brandon Ingram could end up being the next big thing, Jordan Clarkson has shown plenty of scoring prowess, and Julius Randle and Larry Nance, Jr. look poised to man the four spot for the next several years. The team brought in expensive veterans like Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov to help lead the way, but the roster's construction and comments from the team make it obvious Russell is the engine the Lakers expect to run their machine.

After a year in which he was marginalized by a Kobe-worshipping head coach during Bryant’s farewell tour, it sounds like Walton is planning to not only feature Russell more, but wants to make sure Russell and his teammates know it too. The opening to Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report’s excellent feature on Walton paints that picture, at least:

[Russell] is proud that Walton, from their first time together in offseason workouts, requested Russell's voice to break the team's huddles: "This is the point guard! He's the leader!" Walton bellowed. "When he speaks, guys, you gotta listen."

http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2016/9/24/13040040/la-laker-analysis-dangelo-russell

[Landsberger]

I neither "hate" or "love" the kid. I don't know him. His game has some pretty big holes and I think he's got some issues with his mental approach. He needs to grow a lot. He's also in the brightest spotlight in the league the year after Kobe retired. Pressure and needed development. Not typically a good combo for a youngster.

What are these issues to his mental approach?

While young he still shows a big gap in his maturity level both on and off the floor. The popular opinion is that his issues with Byron were 100% Byron. I think it's less than that. Not defending Byron but it takes two and Byron wanted him to earn his way on the floor rather than put him there for "experience". Guys like KG and Kobe took that kind of early ego jolt to heart and forced their way on the floor though significant improvement and work year 1 to 2. We will see if he's going to make that jump or not. This jump isn't a physical or skill jump.... it's a mental one.

I coach and this is how I approach all my AAU kids. You need to earn it with work over your raw ability.

I haven't seen enough of him to make a final determination but I don't see the future face of the franchise for 10 years in him yet. Is he just a guy who can put up stats on a losing team or can he inspire his teammate to raise their games? I see the former.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm not sure why the fanbase seems to put so much pressure on these guys to be the next whomever..... Odds are we will go through a lot of "next comings" before we get another Magic or Kobe.

[lake_show]

While young he still shows a big gap in his maturity level both on and off the floor. The popular opinion is that his issues with Byron were 100% Byron. I think it's less than that. Not defending Byron but it takes two and Byron wanted him to earn his way on the floor rather than put him there for "experience". Guys like KG and Kobe took that kind of early ego jolt to heart and forced their way on the floor though significant improvement and work year 1 to 2. We will see if he's going to make that jump or not. This jump isn't a physical or skill jump.... it's a mental one.

I coach and this is how I approach all my AAU kids. You need to earn it with work over your raw ability.

I haven't seen enough of him to make a final determination but I don't see the future face of the franchise for 10 years in him yet. Is he just a guy who can put up stats on a losing team or can he inspire his teammate to raise their games? I see the former.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm not sure why the fanbase seems to put so much pressure on these guys to be the next whomever..... Odds are we will go through a lot of "next comings" before we get another Magic or Kobe.

I find it interesting that you say "I haven't seen enough to make a final determination" and yet it sounds like you're making a pretty big determination about a kid you haven't seen enough of.

I doubt anyone is calling him Magic or Kobe. His coach, Luke Walton, has done nothing but rave about his work ethic and leadership potential, and we've seen in this thread specifically a glimpse of the amount of work he's put into his game during the off-season. He was part of the players who started the breakfast club which has had all of our young players working intensely on their game over the off-season. Which has a lot of people excited about what we'll get to see this coming season.

So you can see how some of you're statements can sound odd. You've said his game has some "pretty big holes". You have a PG who's a really good passer, really good shooter, good rebounder for his size, and can run an offense. He also showed the ability to win games for us last year or bring us back when we were down late. He's one of the few players in the NBA that has a post game, a midrange game, AND 3pt game. Not to be rude, but there might a strong possibility that, like you said, maybe you haven't seen enough to honestly make a determination.

[warrenpeace]

I think that Luke Walton has failed in his first important decision as a Lakers coach, by essentially making the team a D'Angelo Russell team. He also told the team that D'Angelo is their leader and that they have to listen to and do what he says.

You are not going to have success when the leader of your team is an immature mentally flawed grossly obsequious "brown-noser".

I'm really disappointed in Luke. This is not going to play well with some of the players.

[lake_show]

I think that Luke Walton has failed in his first important decision as a Lakers coach, by essentially making the team a D'Angelo Russell team. He also told the team that D'Angelo is their leader and that they have to listen to and do what he says.

You are not going to have success when the leader of your team is an immature mentally flawed grossly obsequious "brown-noser".

I'm really disappointed in Luke. This is not going to play well with some of the players.

Lol...

Another warrenpeace master piece.

[N3LL]

I think that Luke Walton has failed in his first important decision as a Lakers coach, by essentially making the team a D'Angelo Russell team. He also told the team that D'Angelo is their leader and that they have to listen to and do what he says.

You are not going to have success when the leader of your team is an immature mentally flawed grossly obsequious "brown-noser".

I'm really disappointed in Luke. This is not going to play well with some of the players.

Lol I just can't with some people on this site.

[Danny Darko]

Regarding both Landsberger and warrenpeace's points. I feel like a great leader has a great system players will conform to, but also makes it his priority to make sure every player is optimized and that means being able to turn the dial on a kid with talent who needs something to unlock his potential. Phil the coach & Pop were/are two of the best ever. Byron is utterly devoid of the talent to connect, survey, and prescribe an antidote, I would not underestimate Walton in that knack, though. He's seemed destined for it since his summer league 2nd round choice year. I think half way through his career people already were anticipating his coaching career. The march of the long season will tell, but I'm down with his Dloading Strategy... it puts the onus on him to make sure he fulfills his top level destiny or potential while giving him actual teaching to go with the bravado.

Byron was a Machismo-Hubris sandwich and a petrified tree in a world of fast and fluid game evolution.

[dockingsched]

I think that Luke Walton has failed in his first important decision as a Lakers coach, by essentially making the team a D'Angelo Russell team. He also told the team that D'Angelo is their leader and that they have to listen to and do what he says.

You are not going to have success when the leader of your team is an immature mentally flawed grossly obsequious "brown-noser".

I'm really disappointed in Luke. This is not going to play well with some of the players.

Just ban this guy already, he's not even trying anymore, getting lazy with his spin.

[Kilroy]

I think that Luke Walton has failed in his first important decision as a Lakers coach, by essentially making the team a D'Angelo Russell team. He also told the team that D'Angelo is their leader and that they have to listen to and do what he says.

You are not going to have success when the leader of your team is an immature mentally flawed grossly obsequious "brown-noser".

I'm really disappointed in Luke. This is not going to play well with some of the players.

Just ban this guy already, he's not even trying anymore, getting lazy with his spin.

It's clearly OK to have favorite players and be somewhat blind to their failings... It follows that it's OK to have players you aren't a fan of and be somewhat blind to their strengths...
That said...
Warrenpeace: I think you've made it pretty clear where you stand on Russell... At some point, reiterating that position in every Russell post becomes a distraction. I think it's time for you to take a "if you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing" stance on Russell... If for no other reason than we all know what you're going to say.

In all honesty, I kind of had the same reaction to that article... Russell so far has talked more about leading this team than he has actually led anything... So if Walton is making him the 'leader of the team' right now, it would seem to contradict a lot of what he's said in the past... Like what he said about Kobe not being that guy when he first came into the league... If Kobe wasn't ready to lead the team in his second season, I doubt anyone would say Russell is.
That said, I think Walton was talking more about the position than the player... You want the PG to have a loud voice on the court... It works best if he's the vocal leader of the team.
And I think we want Russell to be that guy... Eventually...
But it's a fine line between encouraging Russell, and demoralizing the other youngsters.

[ak7]

Sometimes I wonder how many guys on a basketball forum have actually played a team sport. How can anybody be mad at Walton for labeling Russell the team's leader?

He's developing him right now. The future is now. You don't tell your team that this guy is going to be the leader down the road when he's deemed ready, you instill it right away or you put that player behind the eight ball from the beginning. Kobe wasn't that guy when he first came in because it wasn't needed - Shaq was there, other veteran franchise players were there.. it wasn't needed, period.

"Hey guys, Russell will be the leader when I determine he's ready, until then, you better listen to what he says.." Would you prefer that? Talk about a way to create a bad atmosphere in the locker room by doing that.

[crazyeights]

Agreed ak7. It's simple, the Point Guard is usually the leader of the team. Period.

D'Angelo was a teenager last year and was immature. So now he's trying to mature and guys are saying he's talking too much about leadership...well there hasn't been games yet, the team hasn't been together yet. What we have seen is this group of young guys coming in and working all summer, led IMO by D'Angelo and Randle (who I'd pick as captains).

Sometimes people respond by having responsibility thrust on them. D'Angelo seems the type who needs pressure and responsibility or he'll become complacent. I saw the same thing with Jordan Farmar who never got the opportunity so he sulked, and squandered his potential.

To ak7's point, this is why you don't go hey this is a year off D'Angelo and Randle. Go and have fun--you're still young, and when you're ready come and take the reins. No. They are forced to grow up now. The gulf between D'Angelo last summer and this summer is completely stark to me. It's fascinating to watch and I'm rooting for him to pull it off.

A lot of guys don't have the guts to be the guy following a legend. D'Angelo does.

[Slava]

He also told the team that D'Angelo is their leader and that they have to listen to and do what he says.

If you are going to pull crap like this, you better be putting out direct quotes from Luke Walton himself. No one is going to go to Lou Williams, Mozgov and Luol Deng and tell them to do what a 20 year old Russell says.

You are not going to have success when the leader of your team is an immature mentally flawed grossly obsequious "brown-noser"

At this point, if you dislike someone, just keep it to yourself. Calling someone a brown-noser is utterly disrespectful and I wonder what your rooting interest in the Lakers is if you keep harboring such baseless hatred for one of our own players.

[Sedale Threatt]

Regarding both Landsberger and warrenpeace's points. I feel like a great leader has a great system players will conform to, but also makes it his priority to make sure every player is optimized and that means being able to turn the dial on a kid with talent who needs something to unlock his potential. Phil the coach & Pop were/are two of the best ever. Byron is utterly devoid of the talent to connect, survey, and prescribe an antidote, I would not underestimate Walton in that knack, though. He's seemed destined for it since his summer league 2nd round choice year. I think half way through his career people already were anticipating his coaching career. The march of the long season will tell, but I'm down with his Dloading Strategy... it puts the onus on him to make sure he fulfills his top level destiny or potential while giving him actual teaching to go with the bravado.

Byron was a Machismo-Hubris sandwich and a petrified tree in a world of fast and fluid game evolution.

Yes. Few coaches have ever been harder on their players than Gregg Popovich, but he also took care to build relationships with them so that they knew he was invested in them as more than just means to an end. Byron was pretty much a zero in this category (among others). Luke can't help but be better because of how bad he was. And that's not getting into the Xs and Os of it.

As for D'Angelo, I'm cautiously optimistic but far from sold. He could very well turn out to be the second coming of Brandon Jennings. He's obviously got a lot of maturing to do. Even if he maxes out I don't see a superstar. But here's the thing -- we invested a major asset in him with a No. 2 pick, and he still can't even drink legally. You'd be derelict in your duties as a coach, and an organization as a whole, if you don't do everything you possibly can to empower him to reach his full potential, of which he obviously has loads.

That's what great franchises do, and that's what we would seem to be doing here. You don't make definitive decisions on players that young, with so little experience and so much room to grow. So anybody who takes issue with the new head coach trying to build up and groom his prospective floor general/team cornerstone is, frankly, stupid.

[Sedale Threatt]

Along those lines, look at how long it took Gary Payton to develop. He was pretty much a bust in his first two seasons, and that's after a full four-year, 120-game college career. It wasn't until his third season, at 24, that he finally became an above-average player, and then another after that until he became an All-Star. Russell will do well to achieve half of what Payton did, and I'm not even remotely comparing the two as players. GP is simply a great example of what time and maturity can do for you.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/paytoga01.html

[warrenpeace]

http://blacksportsonline.com/home/2016/09/stephen-jackson-ig-post-on-dangelo-russell-being-a-brown-noser/

D'Angelo openly lobbied to be the leader of the team (a horrible thing to do in my opinion) . He called and texted Luke constantly. He said on IG that Luke was his favorite player. He also said the he always chose Luke on NBA 2k. Stephen Jackson responded that Luke wouldn't even choose Luke on NBA 2k.

I just hope that the other player don't think that gross obsequious behavior instead of merit and hard work, is how you get whatever you want from Luke.

For the record, I am not a fan of Stephen Jackson. Always saw him as a knuckle head.

[76ciology]

Coaching staff is just trying to make DLo more confident overall. Which plays a big role for a shooter and specially for a PG. Steph Curry wouldn't be trying to shoot with that distance and/or high volume of 3s if he has poor confidence.

[Sedale Threatt]

D'Angelo openly lobbied to be the leader of the team (a horrible thing to do in my opinion).

Big deal.

He called and texted Luke constantly.

Big deal.

He said on IG that Luke was his favorite player. He also said the he always chose Luke on NBA 2k.

Big deal.

Stephen Jackson responded that Luke wouldn't even choose Luke on NBA 2k.

Who gives a flying f#ck what Stephen Jackson has to say about anything?

I just hope that the other player don't think that gross obsequious behavior instead of merit and hard work, is how you get whatever you want from Luke.

Do you really, honestly think Walton is going to be won over by "gross obsequious behavior" rather than the fact that he needs to do everything he possibly can to develop Russell and the rest of the youngsters if he's going to have any chance of success here? Until definitively proven otherwise, he's one of our most important assets, and it's critical that we develop him if we're going to dig out of this hole we're in any time soon.

I have to say, I've been around here a while, and you have some of the most consistently poor opinions/insights I've seen. Which is saying something.

[lake_show]

I just hope that the other player don't think that gross obsequious behavior instead of merit and hard work, is how you get whatever you want from Luke.

Do you really, honestly think Walton is going to be won over by "gross obsequious behavior" rather than the fact that he needs to do everything he possibly can to develop Russell and the rest of the youngsters if he's going to have any chance of success here? Until definitively proven otherwise, he's one of our most important assets, and it's critical that we develop him if we're going to dig out of this hole we're in any time soon.

I have to say, I've been around here a while, and you have some of the most consistently poor opinions/insights I've seen. Which is saying something.

Exactly. Well Said Sir.


warrenpeace total posts: 392
warrenpeace total posts about D'Angelo Russell: 392

Get off the mans jock warren lol.