Predicting The Futures Of The Los Angeles Lakers’ Rising Stars
PG D’Angelo Russell: Perennial All-Star
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–I believe D’Angelo Russell has the potential to be the face of this Lakers franchise.
We all know the way he destroyed his opposition in college, and we saw glimpses of what he can do in the NBA last season. With Russell showing vast improvement during the Summer League, what can we expect from the 2015 second-overall selection moving forward?
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If you asked me, I’d tell you he’s not far off from developing into a superstar.
Realistically, Russell has everything you look for in an elite point guard. He’s more than capable of lighting it up from the field and creating his own shot, continues to get better at facilitating and plays strong (albeit inconsistent) defense.
That was all in Year 1, which means there’s plenty more room for the young guard to grow.
I’m really excited to see what the addition of Walton can do to further his progress. The new head coach runs an up-tempo attack, which should better utilize the young guard’s athleticism and quickness.
Having Bryant out of the equation will also allow him more freedom to lead the Los Angeles offense.
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All the tools are there for Russell to be a star. That’s why I’m predicting he’ll develop into a perennial All-Star before his time with the Lakers comes to a close.