D'Angelo Russell is due for a coming out season party in his sophomore season, especially now that the dynamics of the team has changed.

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has jumped on the hype train of prais for Russell as he raved about the young guard to reporters on media day.

“Last year he had moments of brilliance, and then also moments that clearly showed he was a 19-year-old player playing for the first time in the NBA. This offseason, which was very long, he was in the gym every day — not that he was the only one — but he seemed to have gotten a feel for what the first year is all about.”

Russell is one of the players that started the Lakers breakfast club crew who decided to start working out early to prepare for this season.

Kupchak's expectation is that the team will only go as far as Russell will carry them, and he is looking for the team to win more than 17 games this season under the direction of their new head coach, Luke Walton.

Kupchak and Walton have laid out their expectations for the year and will be looking to see if D'Angelo Russell can deliver on the responsibility of leadership.