Lakers Offseason: D’Angelo Russell Working To Become A ‘Bully’ This Summer
By Eric Yee
D’Angelo Russell was at Luke Walton‘s introductory Lakers’ press conference and had some interesting things to say about what he’s working on this offseason
Immediately after Luke Walton’s introductory press conference for the Los Angeles Lakers, point guard, D’Angelo Russell spoke about his new coach and what he’s been working on this summer.
Dressed head to toe in BAPE attire, the sophomore guard spoke about how “It was great. It was great just to see Luke be here… To hear the things that he had in store for us was even better.”
Considering the strained relationship that he had with former coach, Byron Scott, you’d fully expect him to say these things, but he really seems genuinely ecstatic about the fresh start under Walton.
“I can speak for myself, I’m more than excited. Like I said, I can’t wait til the first practice, the first summer league game, or the first preseason game. Whatever it takes, I’m just ready to get it started.”
Hilariously, when asked if he was “pulling for them [the Warriors]” to win the NBA Finals, Russell responded “Who..” with a sarcastic look upon his face.
The most telling thing Russell spoke about, however, was actually what he has been working on this offseason and what his plans for next season are.
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"I’m working on being a bully… being a bully. I’ve been in the weight room as much as possible, working on every part of my game, scoring.Just changing my body is the main focus cause, getting that year under your belt you really have a clue what it takes, and what it feels like so I’m just really working on being a bully."
What exactly this entails remains to be seen — whether he means a defensive bulldog like Tony Allen or a big, post up friendly guard like Chauncey Billups — but his dedication to the bully life is encouraging.
In regards to what he looks to improve upon from last season he said “the pace” and that he wants to leave behind “playing bad basketball.”
Based on recent reports, it seems that Russell is fully committed to winning the trust of his teammates back and that’s great news for the organization as a whole.
Next: Latest From Luke Walton's Introductory Presser
With Summer League just a few weeks away, we’ll get to see just how big a bully he’s really become.