NBA: Lakers’ Russell says there’s freedom without Kobe

Lakers’ sophomore guard D’Angelo Russell.  AP PHOTO

Second-year point guard D’Angelo Russell showed glimpses of his potential superstardom during his rookie campaign last year.

After garnering respectable averages of 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 28.2 minutes per game, the 20-year-old phenom is looking to ride that momentum and step up as the leader of the Los Angeles Lakers’ young core.

Despite his impressive performance on some games last year, the former Ohio Buck-eye was somehow playing on a leash. Former head coach Byron Scott did not pattern the team’s offense around his point guard’s patented pick-and-roll playmaking, while the team’s retiring legend Kobe Bryant dominated the ball and took the majority of shots on isolation plays.

With new head coach Luke Walton endorsing a more flee-flowing type of offense this year, Rusell has already observed a sudden shift in the team’s priorities.

“We’re all about playing together now,” he was quoted as saying on an ESPN report. “It’s not about one guy anymore. It’s about sacrificing for the team.”

With Bryant’s departure from the team, many pundits have noticed a much more mature and confident version of the up-and-coming youngster in summer league and pre-season play.

“Kobe deserved every bit of attention he got in his last year, but there’s freedom in Kobe not being around,” he explained. “There’s also a leadership vacuum that they plan to fill as a unit. There’s no one leader, no face of the Lakers.”

He also cited the San Antonio Spurs as a barometer of success in the league, and said his team should use them as template.

“When we traveled to San Antonio last season, I noticed that it’s about everybody–they had all those household names, but the 15th guy got the same amount of attention as Tim Duncan, who’s a legend,” he said.  “I feel like we’re all buying into that concept. We’re a team now. And that’s exciting.”

Apart from the usual struggles of an NBA rookie, last year’s second overall pick had to endure tension with Scott who made him come of the bench for some games, while also dealing with wire-tap controversy with teammate Nick Young.

The Lakers won their home opener against the Houston Rockets on Thursday, with the final score of 120-114.  Khristian Ibarrola