Typically, I'm a pretty positive guy. I find myself waking up way too early most mornings and fantasizing about the nap I'm going to take later in the day. Just thinking about that glorious nap helps me get through the day. No matter how crappy of a day I may be having, I find that little tiny bit of happiness to look forward too. But most of the time I don't actually get to take that nap because... life. But I never doubt the fact that I will take that nap, eventually. If I ever were to doubt the fact that I was going to take that nap later in the day, then my whole day would be terrible. My attitude would be horrible. I'm just saying all of this because I need to remind myself sometimes to treat everything like I treat my nap dreams, Don't doubt it. In basketball, I tend to believe in guys a little bit longer than most others. I like to think that guys continue to have more upside as they grow in their career. However, I also tend to give up on guys if they have a down season or show some signs of regression. And then I make bold claims that eventually just make me sound stupid. D'Angelo Russel is making me eat my words this season. I loved his game when he was at Ohio State. He never looked like any moment was too big for him. His early years with the Los Angeles Lakers proved that wasn't scared of the bright lights. His "Ice in my veins" celebration is one of the best in the game. But once he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, I started to cool off on him. His first season as a Net was a little underwhelming, but it was mostly because he was injured for most of the season. I started to wonder how long it would be until he considered going to China to play professionally. But his healthy return this year has given all of his doubters plenty of reasons to keep their mouths shut. In my Mid-Season Awards article, I put him as a player in the running for Most Improved. Russel has already matched his game total from last season with 48 games played. He is posting career highs in points, field goal percentage, three point percentage, free throw percentage, and assists. But its not his numbers that have made him a guy to root for, its his leadership and love for his teammates that has changed the way his peers view him. Because for a minute there, his image took a hit. You guys may or may not remember, but in his second season with the Los Angeles Lakers he got into a little social media trouble that caused a rift between him and his teammates. His teammate at the time Nick Young was dating rapper Iggy Azalea, and Russel caught Young admitting that he cheats on his SnapChat and posted the videos. Many thought this would stain his image forever, but this moment now seems like a small mistake made by a young kid. But aye, it ain't his fault Swaggy P was doing things he wasn't supposed to be doing lol. The Brooklyn Nets were lacking a leader over their rebuilding stage the last few seasons. In just his fourth season, he was become the vocal leader of the team. Not only leading by example on the court, but also being one of the most encouraging teammates even from the sidelines. The game I'm thinking of in particular is their game from a few weeks back against the Houston Rockets. He was having a poor shooting night, which led to him not playing in some key moments down the stretch in an overtime thriller. He took a backseat to his teammate Spencer Dinwiddie. But instead of making a fuss for being benched, he was visibly the most vocal player on the bench. Standing right next to head coach Kenny Atkinson. cheering on his team and coaching them from the sideline. After the big win, he was the first player to run out onto the court and celebrate Dinwiddie's clutch performance. Theres something to be said about a guy who is willing to put ego aside when it comes to moments like this. He knew his play was not putting his team in the best position to win, so he played his role from the bench. With Victor Oladipo going down for an extended period of time, a guard spot has opened up for the Eastern Conference All-Star reserves. And with his career play at an all-time high in just his fourth season, its possible that Brooklyn can have their first representative in over 5 years.
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Anthony VallesterosJust a man trying to make the most of his time on this planet. Categories
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