The Los Angeles Lakers are done with the preseason and looking ahead to the start of the 2024-25 campaign, which begins on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. When they do so, they’ll finally have a familiar starting lineup featuring LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell.
Russell is coming off of perhaps the best regular season of his career, especially in the second half. He was unconscious from beyond the arc for the better part of three months and earned himself a permanent place in head coach JJ Redick’s starting lineup this year.
The veteran Lakers guard has always been known for the confident nature with which he carries himself. That’s why his answer was unsurprising when he was asked which players have impressed him at Lakers training camp, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
D’Angelo Russell with his usual self-assured outlook this morning when asked who has impressed him in training camp so far. Russell: “Me.” pic.twitter.com/upPXLiJjxp
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 17, 2024
Considering that Russell very quickly earned the starting point guard role for the season, it makes sense that he would be impressed with his own work. Russell has always been self-assured, but he has always been willing to praise others as well. So this answer truly indicates that he is proud of the work he’s put in.
It remains to be seen if Russell can build on the effort he put together last season, especially with a new coach and higher expectations on him. But the Lakers point guard has always found a way to be an effective player in the regular season even as his role has ebbed and flowed.
D’Angelo Russell thinks he can break Lakers 3-point record again
Last season, D’Angelo Russell broke the Lakers’ franchise record for most 3-pointers made during a season, which was previously held by Nick Van Exel.
Van Exel’s record was 183 triples and the former Ohio State product finished the year with 226 to shatter it. Now heading into this season, the 28-year-old guard believes he can break his record, he told Spectrum SportsNet on Lakers Media Day.
What JJ Redick’s offense looks like during the regular season and how many clean looks Russell gets could be a huge factor in determining if this is possible. He only needs to hit just around three triples per game if he plays all 82 in order to break his record.
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