Byron Scott may write the Lakers' lineups, but for D'Angelo Russell it's all about proving to his teammates, not his coach, that he belongs in the NBA.
The second overall pick in last summer's draft was sent to the bench by Scott before Monday's game against the Raptors, in which he scored just nine points on 4-for-12 shooting in 21 minutes. After the game, Russell spoke to reporters about his relationship with Scott.
"I'm not trying to show him anything," Russell told Yahoo Sports. "I'm really trying to show myself and my teammates that I belong out there, not the coach. Because they're looking to me for the play (as the point guard), not past me to him for the play. It's a growing experience."
Russell said watching Kobe Bryant during his final NBA season has helped his growth.
"Every time you watch, just be a fan and observe his every move," Russell said. "He's our Michael Jordan, in my era. He still makes it look easy. You can say he's struggling, missing shots, but he still makes it look easy. When a guy like him says, 'That's a great call,' you're like, 'Yeah, that was a great call.' He knows his stuff."
Russell, a 6-5 guard out of Ohio State, is averaging 10.9 points on 40 percent shooting, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.