D’Angelo Russell’s two separate stints with the Los Angeles Lakers saw him play alongside both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Given the two players’ place in hoops lore, it was a truly unique opportunity.
It also permitted Russell to see how different Bryant and James truly were.
This week Russell appeared on Patrick Beverley’s Barstool Sports podcast and broke down the difference between James and Bryant.
“Let me go from an aura perspective,” Russell said.
“LeBron’s more involved with everybody, with everything. On the bus, he’s social… on the plane he’s social. When I was with Kobe, I sat next to him on the plane and we sat on one of the back seats and I watched him, studied him and he never talks.
“He’s really to himself and at the time he was writing the movies and the books, he was directing and all of the time so he was locked in.”
In Russell’s eyes, there was something uniquely different about the way Bryant carried himself.
“Kobe, I never seen anything like that honestly,” he continued.
“Just being when he walked around… you know everyone’s talking in a room and when you walk by, it’s just quiet? He had that about him.”
Bryant and James will forever be intertwined because of their critical roles in Lakers history.
Moreover, Bryant even once broke down how he foresaw a one-on-one match-up between him and James going.
Russell isn’t the first Laker to eloquently break down the differences between James and Bryant. Dwight Howard did the same not long ago.
Roger Goodell’s greeting for Deshaun Watson was quite telling. https://t.co/eyz8dzknNV
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 4, 2023
No matter which player you favor, there is no denying Bryant and James’ overall influence.
Hopefully as time goes on more Lakers come out and offer their perspectives on the similarities and differences James and Bryant ultimately had.
Related: Kay Adams’ Handsy Encounter With Washington’s Sam Howell (Photos)
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
