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D’Angelo Russell is having a pretty good summer so far. Sure, he got traded from the Brooklyn Nets, but it was to the Golden State Warriors, who, you know, have reached five-straight NBA Finals’ and valued the 23-year-old point guard enough to demand him in return during a sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant. Oh, Russell also inked a max deal, too, meaning the former No. 2 overall pick just cashed in huge on his first ever All-Star appearance from last season.
While the Warriors are dealing with a lot of changes — like figuring out when Klay Thompson might come back after tearing his ACL and the uncertainty surrounding the team following Durant’s departure — D’Angelo Russell doesn’t seem like a guy who’s lost any excitement about playing for the franchise. In fact, the young star’s so pumped up that he actually sees the backcourt of Steph Curry, himself and, when healthy, Thompson being like a “video game.”
Talking to HoopsHype, Russell had some high praise for his new teammates, and described how eager he is to play alongside a two-time league MVP in Curry and a three-time NBA champ in Thompson — with Steph sharing the excitement. Even before adding Russell, the duo were already being considered as, arguably, the best-shooting backcourt in NBA history, and D’Angelo sure can’t wait to be part of it.
“I think it’s like a video game. You got three guys who can shoot the three at a high clip. I think that’s really exciting for the fans. Threes are obviously worth more than twos at the end of the day, so I think it gives us an opportunity to win. I’m so excited, and I think we’re going to bring a lot of excitement [to the fans].”
I mean, who the hell wouldn’t be stoked to play with two perennial All-Stars who, seemingly, will make life so much easier for D’Angelo Russell? After all, Russell averaged 21.1 points per game himself last season, so adding that to a potent backcourt is just scary.
As for specifically playing with Steph Curry, Russell mentioned how he plans on being “a sponge,” trying to learn as much as he can from the sharpshooter.
“I think this situation gives me an opportunity to be a sponge. I can learn a lot from everyone: a Hall of Fame coach – one of the winningest coaches ever – and from three different players who are Hall of Famers. It’s cool, man. This is a Hall of Fame organization that I get to a part of.”
Although there were initial reports that the Warriors were looking to trade D’Angelo Russell after acquiring him, those rumors have quieted a lot in the months since the trade — which is smart. Once Russell, Steph and Klay are on the floor together, who knows how potent this Dubs’ offense will be; and the young point guard seems to be salivating at the opportunity to play with his fellow All-Stars.