Based on that statement, I’m guessing Russell is saying he was just playing. Because he gave no other explanation of his intentions regarding the matter. Well after hearing the details of the incident, and relating that to my own experiences. I’m going to say D’Angelo Russell is lying, or better yet he is not telling the truth. And there is a difference between the two. Truthfully, he probably was just playing around when he was recording Young. However, I don’t think he was bullshitting in his attempt to expose and damage Nick Young’s reputation and relationship with his fiancé. Nick Young, 30 years old and affectionately known as “Swaggy P” by his fans, is engaged to pop star Iggy Azalea. Swaggy P is known for his confidence and cockiness on and off the court. He shoots a lot of shots on the court, smiles for the cameras, and has a personal caretaker for his sneaker collection.
D’Angelo Russell is a 20-year-old rookie drafted high for a team in Hollywood. Russell hasn’t performed on the level you would expect from a top-five pick in the NBA, but still has a lot of confidence and swag. In a game in January against the Sacramento Kings where he had a career-high 27 points, he said: “Y’all ain’t seen nothing yet,” … “That’s all I’m gonna say. They got lucky, the world hasn’t seen anything yet.” In addition to his ambitions on the court, the rookie guard also showed some desire to be in the spotlight. He was reported to be dating Kendall Jenner the younger sister of the Kardashian clan. And what better way to get in the spotlight other than to date or “be friends” with a Kardashian?
Russell mentioned in his statement that being around someone like Nick Young; “somebody that’s similar, with the same similar characteristics, is different.” The difference is that some of that admiration may turn to jealousy when you find out that your 30-year-old friend is banging a 19-year-old woman. This is what Nick Young is admitting to in the leaked video to Russell. That 19-year-old may have been a potential candidate for Russell. Might have been someone that the 20-year-old wanted to date. As I said, the intentions of the video were not clear, but this is a possible variable why. You will be surprised by the amount of player hating that goes on by some men in their pursuit of women. And the amount of jealousy that comes from having something that somebody else wants.
Back in college, I used to hang with a guy who on more than one occasion had told women that I was trying to date; not to date me. Now, this is supposed to be my homeboy, someone I considered part of the crew. However, one day he told me to flat out that he wanted to “be better than me in everything we did.” Basically, he was competing with me and I didn’t know it. So if I had a woman that he found attractive; he would also pursue her. I found out directly from a couple of those girls that he told them not to date me. He wasn’t congratulating, he was hating.
I bring this up because unfortunately, that’s what I see D’Angelo Russell doing; hating on Nick Young. And the crazy thing about these scenarios is that they usually occur with people who are close or in an environment where people interact daily. Believe it or not, somebody at your job is plotting your career demise now. That’s why it wasn’t surprising to hear Russell refer to Young as his friend, and someone who he talks with about “anything.” Young seems like a guy willing to share his celebrity tales with a young lad eager to make a mark in Hollywood.
The admiration of his swag from a younger player is something that probably boosts the ego of Nick Young. But that’s neither here nor there. What he will soon realize as he advances throughout his 30s is that his interactions with people will be based on purpose, not emotions. His friend list will dwindle and he will confide in fewer and fewer people. This is all part of growing up and being an adult. The less drama in your life is usually accompanied by being around people who want to see you happy more.
Based on this experience, hopefully, Swaggy P will learn that being a player doesn’t have anything to do with multiple women. And being friends has nothing to do with hanging out or talking with each other. There are some people who I haven’t talked with in years, but I believe they would have my back if I call. Then there are people who I hang with and talk to; who won’t give me a glass of water if they saw me on fire. Usually, experience is the only way you can distinguish the two from each other. If that’s the case, then Nick Young should thank D’Angelo Russell.