D'Angelo Russell Alienates His Teammates

He may have picked up his game as the season has progressed, but seems he's committed more than a mere faux pas: D'Angelo Russell Reportedly Being Isolated by Teammates After Taping Nick Young

Los Angeles Lakers rookie D'Angelo Russell is reportedly in a heap of trouble. A video emerged on Tuesday allegedly showing him secretly videotaping and recording a conversation in which he asked teammate Nick Young questions about being with other women, according to ESPN.com's Baxter Holmes and Marc Stein.

Young famously got engaged to Australian rapper Iggy Azalea last summer.

Citing sources, Holmes and Stein reported that "trust in Russell from some teammates is eroding" now that the video has gone public. Sources also told the two reporters that "Lakers officials are aware of the issue and are dismayed with Russell."

"Right now, they're handling it by isolating him," a source told Holmes and Stein.

According to Holmes and Stein, Russell can be heard on the video at one point asking Young, "You was 30 and she was 19?" with regard to a woman he met out one evening at a nightclub. The report also mentions that Russell can reportedly be heard asking, "What about Amber Rose?" before Young responded, "No, she knows my girl."

A source also told Holmes and Stein locker room trust in Russell has nosedived to the point that none of the rookie's teammates would sit with him at a recent breakfast meeting.

What happens in the locker room, stays in the locker room...

Russell is a moron for what he did. Young is an ass for cheating.

Lakers drama, gotta love it. Hope this shit blows over. Dick move on Russell's part doe.

Nick young has always been a knucklehead so I don't feel bad for him at all either.

Nick young has always been a knucklehead so I don't feel bad for him at all either.

True, but this is all on Russell. He broke the "man code".

Russell a rookie? Well, not the first time he crapped on senior teammate.


Cmon Kobi. Mentor.

Russell following in Kobe's footsteps bout snitching on teammates.

Russell is gonna call a press conference and give Nick a million dollar ring and it'll be okay again.

NBA and NFL players react to the D'Angelo Russell situation

If Nick Young's been unfaithful at all, then I don't exactly sympathise with him. As Q said, he's also been a bit of a knucklehead himself. But recording anyone without their knowledge or consent with the intention of embarrassing them, or whatever Russell was trying to do, is pretty shady. Whatever Young may have done, Russell has made a huge mistake, one that could have potentially derailed his career.

Just call him D Stiviano

I am thinking Kobe's not doing much mentoring and neither being a leader but keeping distance from teammates. I guess it's understandable. It's a bad mix when your fellow vets and supposed leaders are boneheaded Nick Young and washed up Hibbert going through his own set of problems. And the coach is irrationally and stupidly authoritative. Young guys like Randle, Nance, Russell are really without proper guidance both on and off the floor and they seem to be focusing on highlight plays and stat padding. It's obvious that this team culture will be corrected next season when rebuilding truly begins.

I guess I'm the only one that isn't that bothered by what Russell did (though obviously could have been handled better). Blows my mind that he's getting more heat over it than Nick Young is. But what do I know...

It's still an absurdly disturbing act to secretly record conversation with your friend on a very private and sensitive matter, then to let it out onto public to hear.

And Nick Young's playboyism isn't a surprising news. It's not like he's a public figure whom you turn to for setting moral standard. You just don't teach your kids to look up to NBA players for moral lessons.

Most importantly, both Nick and D'Angelo exist for team purpose and what D'Angelo did affect team morality in negative ways. It's Nick's very personal and private life, offcourt matter which D'Angelo exposed that potentially could have impact on everyone.

I think at this point, Kobe's checked out of his own retirement tour, let alone the transitional/rebuilding era.

I guess I'm the only one that isn't that bothered by what Russell did (though obviously could have been handled better). Blows my mind that he's getting more heat over it than Nick Young is. But what do I know...

Well, condemnation of Russell's actions aren't necessarily endorsement of what Young has (allegedly) done. Recording people without full disclosure or their consent is shady at best, and in some circumstances, illegal. It's why when you phone customer service, you'll be informed if the call is being recorded for quality/training purposes.

I mean, if Young has been unfaithful, shame on him, and all that. I for one can't sympathise with anyone who gets caught out cheating. But what was Russell's motivation here, his intended end-game? Was it blackmail? Was it meant to be a prank? Was he doing what he thought was right, by any means necessary, because he thought Iggy Azalea deserved to know about something? Whatever the reason, it ended up turning a private matter into a public one, and makes him look untrustworthy, someone who will betray a friend or teammate's confidence.

I think Kobe is right now thinking "nope, not getting involved, can only lose on this".

Rose for Russell

I think Kobe is right now thinking "nope, not getting involved, can only lose on this".

Probably a bit of that, too.

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It's just a prank bro

More comments from around the league. I think CJ McCollum's take sums it up well:

It was a sign of disloyalty. Obviously, you never want to condone the behaviour that happened. It’s not an excuse… It’s how it was released, how everything happened behind the scenes. Being recorded while you’re not aware, all that stuff is just kind of undermining and conniving. And I think the fans understand that.