D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Adopting A Professional Attitude

Dad may have sacrificed a lot to help him get here, so I don't begrudge him accepting a gift from a grateful son. However, the media is hovering in the wings waiting to get their hands on any juicy story. Once they do, they will gladly tear you down. He just needs Dad to be mindful not to be part of the problem.

 

I quoted this post - but my reply is to everyone:

Damn, ya'll where's the perspective? Dude is 19. He cashes in $5 million a year GUARANTEED for the next 4 years and here we are criticizing him for buying a car FOR HIS DAD? Not for himself mind you....but for someone else, his blood.

Actually - for the dude who brought him into this world. Who probably sacrificed to give D'Angelo the opportunity to make it playing ball. Who moved him out of the ghetto of Louisville and put him in boarding school to get away from the bad influences.

But let's all s*** on him for trying to be grateful and showing some appreciation by getting his dad a car that costs AT BEST 4% ($180,000) of his annual income. Nevermind that it's not a 19 year old's job to parent his own father. Yeah he's an idiot but Russell bears none of that burden and his generosity isn't culpable.

I get it, we are all armchair spokesmen here on LB but this is out of hand. So easy to sit here and criticize.....I'd be SHOCKED if you all wouldn't do something nice for your parents...buy them a house, whatever. Maybe Russell Sr. wanted that damn Maserati. And if you guys wouldn't do that kind of thing for someone who raised you, sacrificed for you, and bettered your life....I don't know that I could relate to you all.

 

Sorry you took it personally - I actually didn't even have you in mind. A lot of people commented on this situation - you were one of the few that said you don't blame him for doing something nice for his parents.

 

there's doing nice things for parents, and there's making a pretty crazy spending choice in a situation that doesn't warrant it. I'm sure this is on the heels of the nba talking to them at length about doing things exactly like this. his contract isn't guaranteed for 4 years; it's guaranteed for two. and if you have no other skills and are buying maseratis, 10-15 million can actually disappear quite quickly (ask all the broke former players).

I think someone else made the point that he's 19, which does mitigate this to some degree. my concern is that a person you obviously look up to shows pretty awful judgment (1. accepting the lavish gift before your son has really established himself--I mean, how about a nice linclon? 2. spending free time messing with cough syrup); let's hope you don't think that's cool, too (I believe this was the subtext of sirron's sarcastic opening statement).

and I'll sit in judgment if I want. I'm a dude on a message board; it's sort of what we do.

in sum, there's really no positive spin to this story. hopefully, this event helps spur the growth process for both father and son.

 

No unfortunately nothing good can come out of this. I just think that the focus of the issue here is that Russell Sr. has issues and is irresponsible. It seemed we were extending the blame to D'Angelo, for getting his dad a car or what not.

You're right only 2 years are guaranteed. Though he does have money coming in from Nike and probably other places. It's semantics at this point. It's valid to have concern about spending habits of NBA players because we've seen the Antoine Walkers of the league. I don't know D'Angelo but he seems like a high character guy. I might be naive, or flat out wrong, but I give him the benefit of the doubt because he doesn't seem like that kind of fool hard, spend happy, live in the moment kind of guy. I just think it's unfair that we hear one tidbit about his spending and make generalizations about his financial savvy.

 

^ Larry Bird... realy. Than MJ and Bronnie. Trade his a** NOW

 

Meh, couldn't care less about what he does with his money. It's what he does on the court that matters to me.

 

he took the question of 4 guys with him as an all-time greats question...and then he put Anthony davis in there? now i'll agree that if Anthony davis continues his growth, he'd deserve a spot on that squad (dude's incredible), but he's three years in.

and mj over kobe...man, that was a softball and you whiffed. even if you believe mj was better (perfectly legit belief), you only say one thing.

why am I talking about this?

 

Larry Bird

All Time Great Player
Career Averages:
Points: 24.3
Rebounds: 10
Assists: 6.3


All time great coach even in limited seasons:
4th best winning percentage all time.



Executive of the Year:



Only player to have done the following:

• NBA MVP
• NBA Coach of the Year
• NBA Executive of the Year

I'm impressed that DAR knows this and admires this combination of excellence.

 

I only had heard of zendaya because of some acne prevention commercials that frequently come on some channel I must watch. I actually thought she might be a fake pop singer with how cheesey the production value is on those spots.

and now I'm talking about this...purple drank, puff piece interviews, and now Disney tween stars...it's definitely august.