D’Angelo Russell Reveals Biggest Regret About Kobe Bryant As He Begins Second Lakers Spell

• D'Angelo Russell feels he didn't appreciate Kobe Bryant while with the Lakers
• As he begins a second spell in Los Angeles, Russell appreciates the icon more
• Bryant and others passed away in January 2020 after a tragic helicopter crash

D'Angelo Russell's second spell with the Los Angeles Lakers began quietly against the Golden State Warriors.

In LeBron James's absence, he scored 15 points in his debut on January 11, 2023.

Russell played alongside the late Kobe Bryant in his rookie season in 2015/16 - Bryant's 20th and last season in the league - and the point guard regrets not appreciating the late shooting guard more when he arrived at Staples Center.

It's been six years since the 26-year-old played for the franchise and a lot has changed in Los Angeles. They signed LeBron James and Anthony Davis who took them to NBA glory in 2020.

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The point guard has been at the Brooklyn Nets, the Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves, before joining the Lakers in a blockbuster deal at last week's trade deadline.

Russell was acquired from the Timberwolves as part of a three-team deal that also brought Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley from the Utah Jazz.

In exchange, the Lakers sent Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and a protected first-round draft pick to Utah, and a future second-round pick to the Timberwolves.

Russell's Bryant regret

Russell's first two seasons with the Lakers were up and down. He was decent but largely failed to live up to the hype, given he was the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

It was only a matter of time before he left the team.

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Now Russell returns with a point to prove and has acknowledged he didn't appreciate Bryant in his first stint in Los Angeles.

"When I reflect on my time in the past, it's all Kobe." Russell said. "Appreciating Kobe when I was here wasn't really something I did because I was young and I was figuring it out. But as soon as I left, I appreciated him more. Now that he's gone, I appreciate him even more. So when I reflect on that Lakers tenure when I was here, it's all a reflection of him," he said via ESPN.

The Lakers went 43-121 in his first two seasons before he was traded to the Nets. He made the All-Star team in his second season in Brooklyn then led them to the playoffs before getting knocked out in the first round.

Russell was traded to the Warriors in 2019 in the Kevin Durant deal. He will now play with LeBron James.

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This season, he is averaging 17.9 points and 6.2 assists on 46.5% shooting from the field and 39.1% from deep, according to StatMuse.

Murals in Bryant's honor

Sports Brief has also reported on murals of Bryant still inspiring people at all corners of the globe.

Since his death, paintings have honoured the star and his 13-year-old daughter, who died in the same tragic helicopter crash.

The purple and gold murals worldwide are a testament to Bryant's everlasting influence and keep their memories alive.