Los Angeles Lakers veteran D'Angelo Russell is in a unique class considering he's been able to play with three of the greatest NBA players in recent memory: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry. While there are 14 players in NBA history who have played with James and Bryant, there is only one — Russell — who has played with three of the all-time greats.
“We talk about it all the time — people forget that,” says Russell in a one-on-one interview with ClutchPoints when asked about playing with Bryant, James and Curry. “My knowledge to the game — what I show to the game — I'm a product of that, so I'm proud of that. I took everything I could from eating and brushing shoulders with those guys.”
Although this is Russell's second stint with the Lakers, he was previously the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft after spending just one season in college with the Ohio State Buckeyes. The 28-year-old was expected to become the face of the franchise following Bryant's retirement, spending the first season of his NBA career brushing shoulders with the five-time NBA champion during his final season.
While Bryant was still the go-to option during his swan song season — he averaged 17.6 points per game — Russell was a key member of that team, starting 48 games while averaging 13.2 points and 3.3 assists per game. Although he was only 19 years old at the time, Russell details what he learned from Bryant — who was 37 years old — before the latter called it a career.
“Unlimited advice,” says Russell. “I just remember how much he used to preach to prepare for after basketball. Collaborate with brands and deals and marketing deals and stuff in ways that it's not just a one-off. It's something that you can actually build with and it's something you want to be — like you want to represent. Not just something that's throwing a paycheck or whatnot. He told me that really young and it kind of went over my head and then the older I got and the wiser I got, all of that stuff kind of started coming back.”
Russell also learned a lot from LeBron James during Lakers stint
Russell's experience playing with James has been lengthier than his stints with Curry and Bryant. While Russell spent just 33 games with the Warriors — he played five with Curry before he suffered an early season-ending injury — and played one year with Bryant, he is now entering his third season with James.
The former All-Star is the starting point guard for the Lakers and has consistently been the third scoring option for the team behind James and Anthony Davis since returning to Los Angeles midway through the 2022-23 season. Russell details what he's learned from the four-time NBA champion as he goes through his third season playing with “The King.”
“I get to actually watch him and be around him,” says Russell of his relationship with James. “For me to be around him and see the way he talks to people, the way he carries himself, the way he compliments, the way he rewards, the way he talks to his teammates and he treats his teammates. All those are things that I could pick up on and I think that's really the biggest thing I learned. Such a professional.”
While Russell is in the midst of his 10th year, he's still in his prime, coming off of an 18-point-per-game season. With plenty of time left in his career, Russell will certainly continue to take the experiences and lessons he's learned from arguably three of the best players in recent memory.
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