D’Angelo Russell on Dealing With Hate: ‘LeBron Still Gets Criticism, Jesus Still Gets Criticized’
The Lakers have lost 10 straight games, which ties a franchise-worst record for Ls in a row. Rookie PG and No. 2 overall draft pick D’Angelo Russell is averaging 11.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.5 turnovers on 41 percent field goal shooting and 68 percent free throw shooting in 48 games (22 starts). Russell has taken his fair share of criticism—from his own coach, from fans, from the media—and he admits to hearing it. But his response to it all was, well, interesting. “”LeBron [James] still gets criticism,” Russell said over the weekend, adding “Jesus still gets criticized.”
The exact quotes, from Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times:
After a bad effort Thursday against Chicago, Russell was surprisingly self-critical, sounding nothing like a teenager and everything like a veteran.
He was in line to return to the starting lineup soon, Lakers Coach Byron Scott said before that game, but Russell said the promotion wasn’t warranted.
“The way I’m playing, I don’t think I deserve that,” he said. “I’ve just got to stop being lackadaisical.”
The rookie was similarly down on himself after Friday’s loss. After an eight-game run of double-digit scoring, Russell has scored three and eight points the last two outings.
He’s aware of the criticism sometimes lodged at the second pick in last year’s draft.
“Any time anybody says anything bad about me, that means I’ve got to work,” he said. “LeBron [James] still gets criticism. Jesus still gets criticized.
“My family is my biggest critic and my boys that I keep in my circle, my brothers that live with me. They’re the first ones to tell me, ‘You stunk it up tonight.'”
