During his rookie season, Los Angeles Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell had his moments where the Ohio State product showed flashes of potential. From an impressive 39-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets in March to some jaw-dropping passes displaying his remarkable court vision, Russell has the skills to become an All-Star-caliber player and he has the ideal mentor to help him get there.
On Sunday, Russell sat down for a lunch meeting with Laker legend Magic Johnson. Russell wanted to get as much information as possible from arguably the greatest player to ever play his position, and Magic was all for sharing the knowledge.
It appears the meeting went well and Johnson has agreed to workout with Russell this summer to help the Lakers floor general take the next step in his development. Magic took to Twitter to announce the good news:
In my meeting with D'Angelo Russell, he picked my brain about the PG position and I'm looking forward to working out with him this summer!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 1, 2016
Johnson has embraced the role as Russell’s mentor both on and off the basketball floor:
Laker Nation: I'm looking forward to being a mentor to D'Angelo Russell on and off the court.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 2, 2016
With Magic helping Russell along the way, it’ll be interesting to see the 20-year-old’s progress next season. Although Kobe Bryant helped Russell during his rookie season, Johnson seems to be taking a more hands-on approach and may be able to connect with the former Buckeye on a different level.
There’s no better former player, or Laker for that matter, to learn how to play the point guard position from than Magic. Russell has an opportunity to take a giant leap forward in his development if he can soak the knowledge from the five-time NBA champion over the summer and apply it to his game next season.