MINNEAPOLIS — D'Angelo Russell, asked about getting the ball to friend and teammate Karl-Anthony Towns after Tuesday's 129-114 victory over Golden State, said: "Feed him, feed him, feed him. If you run out of food, feed him the fork.''
For the Timberwolves, Russell has become the straw that stirs the drink, the star that causes the stir.
He has become so much more than anyone should have rationally expected.
Remember, Russell was brought to Minnesota in part because of skill, in part because of his relationship with Towns. He projected to be a good offensive player who would mesh with a talented big man and keep Towns in a Minnesota state of mind.
All Russell had to do to succeed as a Timberwolf was outperform Andrew Wiggins and the draft picks that the Wolves traded to procure him, score, pass, defend, lead, bond with his teammates and win.
Tainted by playing for four teams in his first six seasons in the league, Russell had to cleanse his reputation while playing for the NBA franchise that is almost always the most in need of a good power washing.
Russell has become the Wolves' epoxy player, able to score, willing to share and, at certain times and in certain deployments, able to rise above his reputation as a poor defender.
He's even had the guts to call out Timberwolves fans for being quiet during games, urging them to stand until the team scores its first basket at Target Center.
Like just about everything else Russell has tried this season, it worked, with Wolves fans standing and roaring during recent games. The Wolves are 16-6 at home this season when Russell plays.
"I thought it was the right time," Russell said after practice Thursday. "As an organization trying to gain our respect around the league and from our peers, we're gonna need our fans to do that."
Longtime Wolves fans have been waiting for the team to find a long-term point guard almost as long as Vikings fans have been waiting for a long-term quarterback.
The first draft pick in franchise history was a point guard, Pooh Richardson. He was a solid player but not the kind of franchise transformer the Wolves needed in the early years, yet they have rarely employed someone better for more than a year or two.
Now they have Russell elevating the franchise and his backup, Jordan McLaughlin, proving his worth. Since Feb. 1, McLaughlin's net rating is plus-13.4, by far the best on the team.
"J-Mac is a product of getting out of the mud," Russell said. "His route to get here and stay here and find a home here has been great. We all respect him and his craft."
Russell has been similarly generous when talking about other teammates.
Towns wanted Russell in Minnesota. Maybe instead of ripping Towns for not getting along with the egomaniacal Jimmy Butler, we should credit him with identifying Russell as a surprisingly snug fit.
"D'Angelo has been incredible," Wolves coach Chris Finch said. "He's really playing extremely well since the All-Star break. A huge driver of our success right now.
"Love the skill. The talent level is high. He's been very engaged from the get-go. Effort and intensity have been there. He's really super smart, and we've been able to use him as a quarterback on defense at times. He's been way better than advertised, for me."
Last year, Warriors owner Joe Lacob said the "D'Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins trade certainly may be the best deal we've ever done."
Wiggins became an All-Star this season, and the Warriors picked up a couple of draft picks in the trade, and Russell might not have been the right fit for the Warriors, and Lacob might have just been praising his management team for morale purposes, but …
This month, as Wiggins has returned to his less-than-reliable ways, Russell has looked comfortable running a playoff contender in the fourth quarter of close games, and has shown the kind of situational awareness you want out of a point guard.
That's worth a standing ovation, and if you don't agree, he'll probably talk you into one.
