This has been a season full of milestones for Los Angeles Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell. The former No. 2 overall draft pick already set the Lakers’ single-season record for 3-pointers made, a record he continues to push out with another four made on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. And now Russell has reached a new individual plateau as well.
With a nice midrange jumper in the second quarter, Russell scored his 10,000th career point in the NBA, an outstanding accomplishment for the former Ohio State guard. Russell has grown tremendously throughout his career and this milestone is proof of all the hard work he has put in over the years.
After the Lakers win in Brooklyn, Russell would go to social media and react to his accomplishment, simply saying he is blessed:
Ever scored 10k points in the NBA? ?#blessed
— D'Angelo Russell (@Dloading) April 1, 2024
Russell now sits at 10,013 career points following his 18 point performance in the Lakers’ 12-point victory over the Nets. Russell also added six rebounds, six assists and four steals as the Lakers won their sixth game in the last seven contests.
But for Russell, this was a major milestone. Many questioned him coming out of college as his lack of elite athletic gifts caused some to wonder whether he would be able to really thrive in the NBA. His early seasons and the immature moments furthered that thought process and many gave up on Russell ever having a great career.
But he continued to work and grow both on and off the court and now Russell has been absolutely indispensable for the Lakers. His shooting and playmaking have completely opened up the offense and the Lakers have been at their best when Russell is thriving.
It may not seem as crazy when LeBron James has just reached 40,000 career points, but that does nothing to take away from what Russell has done here and he is more than deserving of the praise he is getting.
D’Angelo Russell would ‘love’ to stay with the Lakers long-term
The question going forward for Russell after this season is whether or not he will remain with the Lakers past this year. The guard has a player option for next year, but his play this season has likely put him in line for a raise on what he is set to make.
What the Lakers are willing to pay to keep him is unclear, but he would definitely prefer to remain in L.A. going forward. In a recent interview, Russell said that he would love to stay with the Lakers and keep building on what he has here. But he is also looking forward to really locking in a new contract and not having to worry about free agency anymore.
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