Lakers News: D'Angelo Russell Taking Inspiration Defensively From Rival PG

Great to see Russell taking things more seriously on defense!

One of the biggest storylines for your Los Angeles Lakers entering the 2023-24 season is how point guard D'Angelo Russell would perform this year. Russell was great for LA last year after coming over during the trade deadline, but he really struggled in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets.

He was played off the court, and it led many to believe that he may not return. However, he signed a new two-year deal with the Purple and Gold and now is their starting guard once again.

Russell spoke with reporters about his mindset defensively this season, and that he is taking inspiration from a rival point guard in the NBA.

“My inspiration has been Derrick White. I want to be Derrick White. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for what he does, makes all the winning plays and that’s who I want to be.”



Per D'Angelo Russell via Spectrum SportsNet

While Russell likely won’t ever be as good on defense as White, it’s nice to see him taking things seriously on that end of the floor. He has been playing very well to start the preseason, and it has been great to see.

“This is a situation where you can kind of control your own destiny ya know. And that’s how I’m preparing for it, I’m not using preseason as preseason. I’m using it as the first few games of the season and that’s my approach."

Per D'Angelo Russell via Spectrum SportsNet

If Russell keeps on improving defensively, it would be a massive boost for the Lakers. His three-point shooting ability fits in perfectly around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. So, if he can be trusted on defense, he would be able to stay on the floor in crunch time.

“I think we can beat a lot of teams, and we can win a lot of games.” @Dloading's expectations for the season. pic.twitter.com/fXHR4VSpOJ

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 16, 2023

His improvement gives LA a real advantage, and hopefully, he can continue it into the season.

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