preface:
When discussing the West's biggest All-Star show this year, everyone forgot about a player, and that player was D'Angelo Russell. Averaging 18.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game this season, he's more of an All-Star than Wiggins. The Timberwolves have a 43-32 record this season and are about to enter the playoffs, and everyone feels that this is the credit of Towns, but Russell's role can not be ignored. Especially at critical moments, Russell has saved the Timberwolves many times, and perhaps he is a killer who is not like a superstar, which makes him overlooked.
ice in my veins
Russell has only one personal label, "ice in my veins," and I have ice running through my veins. This phrase has been with him since Russell entered the league in 2016, and russell has shown the potential of a key killer since his rookie days. His first year in the league, which happened to be the last year of Bryant's career, how many people dreamed of being able to play with Kobe, Kobe has always been known as Mr. Key, and Russell has also learned a lot from Kobe, which is the most valuable asset in his career and sets the tone for Russell's career.
In fact, since the summer league, Russell has shouted the slogan "ice in my veins", which has become his trademark. Perhaps having formed an indissoluble bond with the Timberwolves very early on April 10, 2017, Russell hit the first whistle-blow of his career against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Russell was quite excited after completing the fatal blow, shouting his motto. And this ball is not only for himself, but also for his grandmother in heaven, that day Russell's grandmother died, he endured grief to complete the killing, even if the blood is ice, but Russell is definitely not a piece of iron, but a flesh and blood person.
Of course, Russell's Lakers career is not perfect, because it is Kobe's last year, Lakers fans are very eager for Russell to have someone to succeed him, but Russell's performance is lower than expected, making him bear a lot of pressure, Lakers fans scolded him for being a parallel cargo, in such a situation Russell appeared famous recording door, the matter of Nick Young breaking shoes was passed out, so that Nick Young and his fiancée parted ways, the Lakers locker room was completely civil unrest, and then the Lakers had the opportunity to get another list, He didn't hesitate to send Russell away, but his career with the Nets allowed Russell to evolve into an All-Star!
Brooklyn has a new lease of life
After Russell was traded to the Nets, he ushered in the rebirth of his career, and what made Russell change was his mentor Atkinson, a good coach who let Russell not be a hanger, but how to win. In 2019, Russell played the best season of his career, he contributed 21.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 7.9 assists to the team, becoming the number one contributor to the Nets' return to the playoffs, which also allowed him to enter the All-Star Game, although the Nets only won one game in the playoffs, but it was very valuable for them, and the young people proved themselves again.
However, the growing Russell did not get the treatment of a superstar, but instead became a chip for Durant in the offseason of that year, although he was given a four-year, $117 million contract, but when the team had the opportunity to get better players, he was not hesitated to send him out, and no one paid attention to him at all. After coming to the Warriors, Russell's career has changed completely, the environment here is not familiar to him, he could have grown up in peace of mind in the Nets, but for the Warriors everyone wants him to become The Thompson next to Curry, Russell is very good, but the woman is difficult to cook, when Curry also injured his elbow, Russell became the player with the single core, and finally he was abandoned by the Warriors again, but this time he came to the place that really belonged to him.
Minnesota's brother basketball
Although he traveled from the big city of San Francisco to the cold minnesota, Russell got enough warmth here, Towns is his best friend for him, both entered the league through the 2015 draft, and are good buddies, Russell found the feeling of being the owner in Minnesota, and he is perfectly integrated here. As the core of the Timberwolves' backcourt, Russell did what he should have done, usually combing the team's offense and sealing his throat at key moments. During his time with the Timberwolves, Russell has beaten the Thunder, Blazers and other teams, and he is the 6th highest-scoring player in the league at a critical moment this season.
However, in the discussion of superstars, Russell has never been in this range, the discussion is who makes the Timberwolves better, and there is no Russell name, everyone feels that Russell is a dispensable role, but in fact, the transformation of the Timberwolves is inseparable from Russell's maturity, especially at key moments he is more stable than Edwards, he can also share the pressure of Towns. Russell is now 26 years old, he is not the big boy next to Kobe Bryant, his performance is becoming more and more mature, this maturity is not only in the skills of people mature, in fact, in the maturity of the mentality, not for personal gains and losses in mind, but to pay attention to the success or failure of the team. It doesn't matter if they don't get thought of as superstars, everyone remembers the phrase "ice in my veins" and has become Russell's label.
epilogue
Coming to the Timberwolves has become Russell's best stop, where he has found the most familiar position and the most important sense of belonging, and in this situation, Russell is constantly working towards his goal. The road to becoming great is not so simple, this road will also suffer from the cold eyes of others, but Russell has looked down on all this, he wants to become a more different player.