5 Things D’Angelo Russell Can Learn From Kobe Bryant

Matthew Patterson

D’Angelo Russell seems ecstatic so be the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, and a huge reason for that is he is going to get the chance to learn from one of the best to ever play the guard position. Russell said that he referred to himself as a “sponge” in his first conversation with Kobe Bryant, as he will be willing to soak up anything Bryant teaches him. At 19 years old, Russell still has plenty to learn about the game of basketball, even though he has already shown plenty of maturity on and off the court over the last few days, and in his lone year at Ohio State.

Kobe has often had a reputation of being too hard on rookies, even to the point where he will refuse to talk to them. However, he has changed, and Julius Randle has often stated that Kobe has helped him through the whole injury process, and has given him tips on how to improve his game. The best thing that Kobe can give to the Lakers franchise at this point in his career is simply his knowledge, and his experience. Kobe’s impact on the team doesn’t have to leave with him when he retires, but can stay for the next 10 years. No other player can benefit more from Kobe’s wisdom than the second overall pick D’Angelo Russell.

Here’s five things D’Angelo Russell can learn from Kobe Bryant:

Next: Fundamentals Are Key

Athleticism Isn’t Everything

For about half of his career, Kobe Bryant was one of the most athletic players that the NBA had ever seen. He won a dunk contest in his rookie year, and was one of the best perimeter defenders in the league due to his athleticism. However, over the past five years or so, Bryant’s athletic abilities have slowly faded away, leaving him with only his fundamentals and perfect footwork.

One of Kobe’s most impressive seasons came in 2012-2013, which is probably the most forgettable season in Lakers history. After acquiring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in the offseason, the Lakers entered the season as heavy title favorites. Instead of being a well-oiled offensive machine, the team turned into the Kobe Bryant show by the second half of the season. In his 17th season at 34 years old, Kobe averaged 27.3 points (3rd in the league), 5.6 rebounds, and a career high 6.0 assists.

Yes, seventeen seasons into the league, Kobe was still playing at an elite level, and it was not because of his athletic abilities. Kobe found ways to dominate, including posting up, passing, and using his flawless footwork. Kobe’s first step was not nearly what it was say in 2006, but he still used more jab steps and ball fakes than probably ever player in the league, which made him a dominant scorer even at his old age. If a player truly understands the game of basketball, and has a diverse skill-set that has been worked on consistently throughout his career, a player’s vertical or baseline-to-baseline speed will never hinder success.

D’Angelo Russell’s biggest flaw is athleticism, despite posting a 39 inch max vertical before the draft. Russell is not very fast or quick, and is not a guy who is going to soar over a rim-protector for a dunk. Russell relied on ball handling and his jumpshot to make him the All-American player that he was as a Buckeye. The first thing that Russell can learn from Kobe’s game right now, is that his lack of athleticism shouldn’t be an issue on the offensive end. Kobe will be 37 years old to start the season, and will likely still be a top 25 offensive player.

Russell is just one of those guys that makes the game look so easy. Other players often put into that group include Larry Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Stephen Curry. All guys who lacked athleticism but made up for it with their unique skill-set, which Russell has.

Next: How To Work In The Paint

Post Game Is Key

The easiest way for a perimeter player to remain elite later in his career is to develop a post game, just ask two of the top three shooting guards of all time Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant. Kobe is without a doubt the best post-up perimeter player ever. Throughout his career, Kobe has used everything from one-legged Dirk shots, to sweeping sky-hooks across the paint. Playing in the post requires little athleticism, and is all about reading the defender, and having a variety of moves. The more moves a player has, the easier it is to work in the post.

At 6’5″, Russell is going to see a ton of mismatches especially when he is playing point guard, and if he is guarded by a quicker defender, being able to post-up will always be a great option. Russell actually showed some abilities to score in the post in college. As the most skilled player in the draft, Russell should be able to develop quite the arsenal of moves when playing with his back to the defender.

Part of playing in the post is being able to use both hands. Kobe has always been able to use both hands when doing pretty much everything except shooting jumpers. He has used his left hand to pass, dunk, shoot floaters, and even shoot some hook shots. Russell however is going to have to develop his right hand if he wants to become a better post player. Kobe being the basketball freak he is, knows that if a player can use both hands, it makes it a lot harder for a player to guard him one-on-one. Eventually, teams are going to force Russell to use his right hand, and he is going to have to be able to convert.

When most people think of the post, the two blocks and everything in the middle come to mind. However, posting up further away from the basket can be just as effective. Arguably Kobe’s most unstoppable shot is his turn around jumper anywhere between the baseline and the elbow. Even when he didn’t get as much lift as he is used to, Kobe was still making that shot with ease last season. Russell does not use his legs much on his jumper, but if he can learn to create space with his body he will be able to hit that turn around shot out of the post.

Perimeter players posting up is starting to become more common in today’s game. After MJ and Kobe mastered the back to the basket game, player such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant have started to add that aspect of the game to their arsenal. If Russell can learn and continuously work on some of Kobe’s moves, he will be able to rely on his post game for the rest of his career.

Next: Embrace Self-Confidence

Nothing Wrong With A Little Cockiness

Kobe’s confidence has earned him a bit of a bad reputation at times throughout his career. Some say his is cocky, and that he thinks he is better than everybody else, well that’s because he is. It is pretty well known that a 21 year old Kobe Bryant once told MJ “I could kick your a** one-on-one”. When Kobe entered the league, he may have thought that he was a little better than he actually was. When he was just in his early 20’s, he never backed down to arguments with a much more established Shaquille O’ Neal, as he would never accept that Shaq was THE GUY on the team. This may have made for a few bad stories that made Kobe look like a jerk, but that confidence and fearlessness is what made Kobe the player he grew to be.

There is a reason that Kobe is one of the clutchest players in NBA history, right up there with Jordan, Magic, and Reggie Miller. Every time the Mamba lets it fly, he thinks its going in, which is why there isn’t a shot Bryant doesn’t like. Back in the 2014 playoffs, Deron Williams shot 0-9 against the Miami Heat, and this is what Kobe had to say about that:

"“I would go 0-30 before I would go 0-9. 0-9 means you beat yourself, you psyched yourself out of the game, because Deron Williams can get more shots in the game. The only reason is because you’ve just now lost confidence in yourself.’”"

Few young players have ever had the mindset that Kobe Bryant had when he entered the league. He still thinks exactly the same as he did when he was seventeen, he thinks he’s the best, and is willing to take any shot. The only thing that changed over the course of his career is that as his career went on, he began to back up his cocky attitude with his play.

One great characteristic about Russell that hasn’t really been brought up is that he knows how good he is. Most young players need time to develop that confidence, unlike Russell and Kobe Bryant. Although Russell is 100% confident in his abilities now, that doesn’t mean that he will always be. Through an 82-game season, anything can happen, shooting slumps, injuries, coaching issues, whatever it may be. Kobe’s confidence was put to the biggest test, in his rookie season against the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, when he air-balled four shots down the stretch and lost the game.

Kobe did not let this get to his head, as he maintained to show full confidence in his ability to take last-minute shots, which became his forte for the rest of his career.

It’s more than just shooting the basketball. With all of the talent Russell has, he can’t let any of that go to waste because of a lack of confidence. The rookie is playing in L.A. with a ton of pressure, and will likely have some bad games on a big stage, but what he can learn from Bryant is to never lose that mindset of knowing he is great.

Next: Health Is Very Important

Jan 21, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Lakers 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Take Care Of The Body

One thing that Kobe has learned over the course of his career is that taking care of his body is just as important as anything. At one point in his career, Bryant was eating pizza before games and managing to score 81 points, but as his career extended, he realized that he won’t be able to last much longer if he continued to ignore the health aspect of the game. Everything from ice baths, to strict diets, to knee procedures in Germany, over the last five years or so Kobe has gone to extreme measures to keep his body ready for the wear and tear of the NBA game.

Sure he has only played 41 games combined over the last two seasons, but from an overall standpoint it is pretty remarkable that Kobe will be entering his 20th season in the league, and will likely be a top five player at his position. Young guys seem to take their bodies for granted, and assume that they can continue to average 40 minutes per game for the next ten years. Guys like Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng learned the hard way, as their bodies simply couldn’t perform consistently at a high level by the time they hit 30 years old.

Good thing for Russell, is that he plays the game low to the ground, and rarely flies high for rebounds or dunks. Guys who play the game slower and less in the air tend to stick around longer: Paul Pierce, Andre Miller, and Jason Kidd to name a few. This doesn’t mean however that Russell should not take caution about his body. With the new technology, players now have the opportunity to extend their careers a few more years.

Kobe taking care of his body is simply something that Russell can observe and apply to himself. It’s the small things that Kobe does everyday, things that no other player does, that pay huge dividends on the long run. That extra hour of stretching, or just daily seven minute ice bath, can completely change the player Russell is in 10-15 years.

Next: Learn To Play In LA

Jan 7, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers forward

Matt Barnes

(22) during the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Being The King Of L.A. Isn’t Easy

Though Blake Griffin will likely be the best player in Los Angeles for at least the next five years, the best player on a contending Lakers team will always rule the city. If Russell becomes the player we hope for him to be, he will be a superstar not only on the court, but off the court. When the Lakers are winning, there is no better sporting venue in the country that will attract more Hollywood Stars than Staples Center. Playing in L.A., you have to be able to take some criticism, and get used to the constant spotlight.

Ever since Kobe entered the league, he has been at MJ status in terms of popularity amongst NBA fans, for the good and the bad. Sure Kobe can do no wrong in the hearts of Lakers fans, but in pretty much every other city in the country, he is the enemy. That’s just how the Lakers are. The Lakers are up there with the Patriots among the most hated teams in America, and if you are the leader of the team, you take the most heat. Every little thing Kobe Bryant says whether it is on twitter, or to a reporter in practice, becomes huge news. He doesn’t tweet often, but when he does it always seems to brew up some controversy.

Being the King of L.A. also comes with some expectations. Laker fans expect 100% dedication, and the most important thing: winning. Dwight Howard was so hated by Laker fans simply because he did not have a winning attitude. Many can argue that Kobe doesn’t have a winning attitude, as he comes off as selfish, but there is no doubt that winning is always the top priority for Mr. Bryant.

D’Angelo Russell is a young 19 years old, and in two years may very likely be the best player on this young Lakers team. 21 years old seems a bit young to carry the historic Lakers franchise, as Kobe didn’t have to carry that load until he was 26 years of age. Russell has two years to learn what it takes to be the guy in L.A., and no better person to learn from than the Black Mamba. Kobe has gone through so many ups and downs as the franchise player, starting with the rape case, all the way to blown 3-1 series lead against the Suns in 2006. But the only way he stole the fan’s hearts back, and the only way you can in L.A., he won two more titles.

Russell is going to have to learn to take a lot of criticism as the leader of the Lakers, but all he can do is control what he can. Focus on his game, go out and compete every night, and hopefully at some point in his career, he can let his resume do the talking, just like Kobe does:

(Vine via SBNation.com)

Matthew Patterson

Current student who is a Life long Laker fan. Still waiting for a Kobe vs. LeBron NBA finals. Also a massive Kawhi Leonard fanatic.