D’Angelo Russell Flashing Superstar Potential
After struggling to adjust early in his rookie year, Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell is finally putting it all together — and showing serious star power.
When D’Angelo Russell became the Los Angeles Lakers’ latest first-round draft pick, he was selected with the idea that he would not only be the point guard of the future but also a future superstar.
While many penned Russell as their preseason Rookie of the Year front runner, his “D-Loading” nickname has been more representative of his rookie year. Fans have had to endure his maturation from a player who looked timid, confused and out of place at the start of the season to a solid starting point guard.
Russell has given us flashes of brilliance throughout the season, dishing a flashy pass here and there and coming alive in the fourth quarters of close contests. However, as of late, Russell seems to finally be putting it all together and delivering on the vision of a superstar that Byron Scott and Mitch Kupchak had in mind.
The rook is posting 19.2 points a game on 53.6 percent field goal percentage since the All-Star break, the former of which leads the team.
Related Story: 25 Best Players to Play for the Los Angeles Lakers
More from Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
- A surprise LeBron ranking should raise alarm bells for the Lakers
- Surprising Austin Reaves contract detail confirms Lakers got him for a steal
- Instant Grades for the Lakers’ unprecedented Anthony Davis extension
- Report: Lakers have big plans for recent top-10 pick amid roster shakeup
Those who have watched him in that period of time have seen a point guard who has finally figured out how to slow the game down and score efficiently. While he drew early comparisons to the likes of Stephen Curry and Chris Paul, Russell’s game more closely resembles that of San Antonio Spurs veteran guard Tony Parker.
Both lack athleticism, but use their craftiness to control the pace and score on opponents with the combination of a high IQ and a sweet shooting stroke.
Like Parker, Russell has been up and down as a scorer in his rookie season. However, when he’s been hot, he’s been red hot, as evidenced by his play as of late.
After averaging 22 points a night on 54.4 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from three in two contests against the Memphis Grizzlies, the rookie point guard had himself a superstar’s outing against a struggling Brooklyn Nets team.
The rookie posted an absurd 39 points while going 14-of-21 from the field and nailing a Curry-like eight three-pointers, leading the Lakers to a 107-101 win.
Throughout the night, Russell showed fans a bevy of offensive moves from crossover threes to sweet floaters to a post fadeaway reminiscent of Dirk Nowitzki. The performance was good enough to be the best of the night in the Association and the best single-game scoring performance for a rookie this season.
Sure, this could be a flash in the pan like Brandon Jennings‘ 55-point eruption in his rookie season — or it could be the coming-out party for a promising young player who is just realizing his superstar potential.
Russell has been a solid outside shooter all season, but is now showing an ability to score from anywhere on the floor with an efficiency and smoothness resembling that of a veteran point guard. In addition to this, the rook is still quite the playmaker for the team, averaging 4.5 assists a game since the break.
More hoops habit: The 30 Best Point Guards of All-Time
The youngster is making good on Scott’s renewed faith in him and evolving into the point guard — and superstar — of the future that fans long for him to be.