D’Angelo Russell is a good basketball player, and at times, he can be a very good player. He just had what may have been the best season of his NBA career in which he averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists a game while shooting 41.5% from 3-point range.
His lows, especially come playoff time, can reach the depths of Death Valley. But when he gets hot, he raises the ceiling of the Los Angeles Lakers, as he often did during the second half of this past season.
After Stephen Curry’s outstanding play and searing shooting that helped Team USA win the Olympic gold medal, one fan on social media pointed out that Russell does tend to get hot just like Curry does. Russell then replied in an almost breathtakingly brazen way.
DLo 👀 pic.twitter.com/fs0UxJdJTo
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 12, 2024
He later deleted that post.
The guard then followed up on that comment with another one in which he again shamelessly promoted himself.
Great conversation if you ask me, who’s effective from off the dribble and C&S. Chef, myself, CJ , Dame. (Insert slander here)👇🏾.
— D'Angelo Russell (@Dloading) August 13, 2024
Of course, Russell does have the same abilities to create and shoot off the dribble and hit in catch-and-shoot situations as Curry, CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. But to suggest he’s on the same level as any of those three stars is laughable.
The fact that he doesn’t quite measure up to that level of productivity is one reason the Lakers have reportedly been looking to trade him this summer. But the rest of the NBA doesn’t seem to have much, if any, interest in him, whether it’s because of his poor play in the postseason, his lack of quickness and defense or possibly his seemingly inflated perception of himself.
