Julius Randle Calls Kobe Bryant 'Borderline Genius' as Veteran Shares Knowledge
There aren't many players in the NBA who know more about basketball or have been through more in the league than Kobe Bryant.
That's good news for the Los Angeles Lakers' young players.
Bryant's career is winding down, so if the young Lakers want to pick his brain, they should do it while they can. From the sound of things, they have been doing exactly that.
“Whenever he’s talking, I try to gather around and listen,” Lakers rookie D’Angelo Russell said, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “I could listen to him all day.”
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft even went as far as requesting a locker next to Bryant's. That should give the rookie plenty of time to learn from the Black Mamba.
Russell wasn't the only one gushing about Bryant's knowledge. Forward Julius Randle—the Lakers' first-round pick in 2014—had high praise for his veteran teammate, too.
“[Bryant's] a borderline genius,” Randle said, per Medina. “He hasn’t been shy sharing his knowledge, and his experiences with us on and off the court. It’s very helpful.”
Compliments don't get much better than "genius."
This isn't a one-way street, however. Bryant respects the fact that his younger teammates want to soak up information and has spent hours at a time sharing what he knows. Here's what the 37-year-old Lakers legend said about being the veteran teammate, per Medina:
"There’s a generational gap, but the universal language is the game. These guys are thirsty for knowledge. ...
It’s not about them responding to me. It’s me talking and sharing some of my stories and how I did it. I’m frank and candid with them. But it’s important they find their own way.
"
Bryant has made 17 All-Star teams and won five rings in his 19-year career. He knows how to both dominate a league and win championships. There's no doubt that he wants to see the Lakers franchise succeed after he's gone, so he is more than happy to help out his younger teammates.
[Los Angeles Daily News, h/t UPROXX]
