This season of the Los Angeles Lakers has been all about Kobe Bryant and his farewell trip. Earlier this season, it was supposed to be the dawn of a new era with their young core Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson ready to take the torch from the team's franchise superstar.
However, that has not been the case, and it has been very hard for rookie D'Angelo Russell to get his groove since head coach Byron Scott is not giving him enough playing time to prove his worth. Some say this is the head coach's way of humbling the rookie but it seems like the frustration is now getting into Russell's head by a bit.
"I'm not trying to show him anything," Russell said via 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, not past me to him for the play. It's a growing experience."
He was also asked what he thinks of Kobe Bryant's farewell tour, which in turn hurts his minutes and playing time.
"Can't do thing about it. Just be a fan. Every time you watch, just be a fan and observe his every move," Russell said of Bryant. "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 added that as much as he wants to bounce back and correct his mistakes, the head coach just won't allow it.
"It's real tough trying to make everybody happy as a young point guard. It's even tougher because you're not really getting an opportunity to learn from your mistakes," Russell said. "Coach is making his decisions, and I just ride with it."
