LeBron James even in his 21st season is showing no signs of slowing. After a superheroic rescue job against the Clippers, LeBron went out again against the Eastern Conference basement boys, the Wizards. King James made sure to bring along the magic wand as the 39-year-old stopped only 9 points short of the historic 40K points mark with his 31-point performance.
While fans at the arena and home will be able to savor the historic moment from a distance, a certain fan of his will be right beside him during the grand occasion. The fan is none other than D’Angelo Russell, who revealed his surreal experience of witnessing LeBron’s magic.
D’Angelo Russell discloses one LeBron James action that made him cry
After the Wizards game, D’Angelo Russell appeared for media duty. Despite slamming the media for covering his trade rumors during the trade window, the guard did not show any ill-effects from that encounter.
During the questioning, the Lakers guard revealed how his father, Antonio Russell, took him to his first NBA game when he was a young boy. D’Angelo described his experience with LeBron as the first player he watched. The then-star in the making LeBron left his now-teammate spellbound with a signature dunk.
“He’s the first person I saw play in the NBA…My dad took me to my first NBA game. He did that signature dunk, and I remember crying…I was like, this is where I want to be,” said Lakers number 1.
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The 28-year-old even left a prediction for the 39-year-old. D’Angelo believes LeBron can be seen gracing the court even into his 25th NBA year, despite his ageing body. “You try to compare how high he jumps when he first got to the league until now…it’s a little drop but he’s still jumping over dudes. I think he’s still capable, he’s still got it. he’s still got some years under his belt. You’re seeing year 21. might be seeing year 25.“
D’Angelo Russell, who issued a bold statement following the win over the Utah Jazz on Feb. 14, has considerably contributed to the Lakers’ current run of form. Against the Wizards, he logged in with 22 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds. The 2015 2nd overall draft pick has recovered his form following an injury-plagued first half of the season.
NBA players who idolize LeBron James
LeBron James has been long enough in the game to have a whole generation of young fans transitioning into an NBA life of their own. LeBron, with his swashbuckling style and unmatched aura, has captivated all generations from eight to eighty.
A true testament to how long he has been in the NBA came to the surface when Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. approached LeBron last season. “Hey, you played against my dad your first NBA game ever,” said the 20-year-old, to which LeBron could not help but feel old.
Another flat-out hooper with a basketball heritage is Scottie Pippen Jr. The Bulls legend’s son signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in 2022 before ultimately moving to the Grizzlies in the summer. “I’ve been around LeBron since I was a kid at All-Star games, seeing his kids, so going to work with him every day is definitely a crazy experience that I’m still not used to. It’s definitely a dream come true. I grew up watching this guy, so getting on the court with him is a cool experience,” said Pippen Jr. to Yahoo Sports after spending time on the court with LeBron at the Lakers.
The 2022 NBA draft pick number one, Paolo Banchero, also did not hide his LeBron fanaticism. The Magic forward said, “That’s been my favorite player since I was a young kid.” The list can go on about the fanboys of the Lakers who are currently present in the league, but the fact that he is still going strong in hopes to share the court with his own son is simply mind-blowing.
