Lakers News: D’Angelo Russell On Dealing With Criticism

Corey Hansford
2 Min Read

Whether it is his play on the court or his attitude off of it, Los Angeles Lakers rookie D’Angelo Russell has faced his fair share of criticism in his first NBA season.

That criticism has come from everywhere as fans have wondered whether the Lakers made the right selection, and head coach Byron Scott hasn’t been shy about talking about where Russell is coming up short during games. Russell has even criticized his own play, showing that he is very hard on himself.

Playing in Los Angeles, Russell will be subjected to far more than the average player, and according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, Russell takes the criticism seriously:

Obviously, Russell isn’t trying to compare himself to LeBron or Jesus, but he is right in that everyone gets criticized for something. Every NBA great, be it Jordan, Kobe, Kareem, Magic or anyone else has been criticized throughout their career for something. It comes with the territory.

The good thing for Russell is that he seems to be using this criticism as motivation to keep working hard and improving. The ability to criticize himself is also a good sign in that he is self-aware and knows he still has a long ways to go.

There have been questions about Russell’s attitude and whether or not he is too cocky right now, but it looks as if he is simply confident in his abilities and has high expectations of himself. He is not where he wants to be right now and is working hard to get there, and that is a good sign for him and the Lakers.

Corey Hansford is the Senior Editor for Lakers Nation, as well as a contributor for Dodger Blue, Rams News Wire, and Raiders News Wire. He is a passionate follower of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and the UFC. He can usually be seen arguing the merits of Kobe Bryant or cursing the decisions of Jerry Jones. He is also a former producer and associate producer for Sirius XM Sports Radio on both the Fantasy Sports Channel and College Sports Nation. Proud graduate of Long Beach Poly High School and The Real HU, Howard University, with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Follow him on all social media outlets at @TheeCoreyH.