Despite having a career-best season with the Brooklyn Nets, forward DeMarre Carroll is putting all of his eggs in young D'Angelo Russell, who came in as part of a trade for the team's leading scorer from 2016-17, Brook Lopez.

Russell showed flashes of becoming the go-to player for this system, but a knee injury set his season back — hindering his natural progress after his first offseason with the team.

“His talent – nobody in this room or arena will question his talent. You just want him to do it consistently. D’Angelo is probably the closest thing we have to an All-Star on our team if he did it consistently,” said Carroll, according to Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily. “Me, being his big brother, being a leader, I just challenge him to come in and hit it hard every day.”

“D’Angelo’s 22… that’s when a guy like me says, ‘Come on, let’s do this together.’ I think that’s my biggest challenge, not only for myself, but for Kenny and Sean challenging me to help a guy like that get to the highest level.”

Russell's full potential is yet to be fully unlocked, boasting the natural talent to take defenders on isolation battles and win thanks to his natural ball-handling abilities and improved shot-making.

Yet his shot-selection and discipline with the ball will have to improve for him to take the next step, and that's where a veteran like Carroll can help — a proven defender with great instincts and all-around savvy.