You’re a Lakers fan. The season has been lost forever. All you want is to stockpile a few more losses in an effort to sink lower in the standings to improve your draft lottery position. Yet, for some reason, the Lakers have won three straight to pull ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the third-worst record in the league.
Then this happened on Sunday night against the Timberwolves.
D'Angelo Russell's grandmother passed away yesterday. He hit the GAME-WINNER and then had an emotional moment with his family in the stands: pic.twitter.com/fav7gDHFyk
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) April 10, 2017
D’Angelo Russell bounced in a game-winning 3-pointer for the Lakers’ fourth straight win. Maybe you turned off your TV in disgust, wondering why now of all times the Lakers are choosing to get hot. Perhaps you even cursed Russell.
Well, it seems you’re mad about a guy hitting a winning shot hours after his grandmother died. Yeah, who feels silly about getting this emotional about your sports team winning or losing, huh?
No one watching the game at home or at Staples Center knew about the situation. Russell was originally going to sit out the game, but texted coach Luke Walton beforehand and told him he wanted to play. From ESPN:
“I knew that’s what my grandma would have wanted,” Russell said. “My dad, brothers and everyone wanted me to play. I wanted to get away from basketball. I didn’t want to express myself through basketball, but it was [the] only option I had and I tried to take advantage of it.”
Walton added: “We had talked this morning and originally he wasn’t going to play. Then he texted me on the way to the arena and said he wanted to play. I said, ‘Of course. Whatever we can do for you. I’ll leave it in your hands.’ He said he wanted to play.
“I get goosebumps even talking about the way the game ended. I mean, how awesome for him on such a tough day for him.”
Russell revealed the situation in an emotional interview after the game.
D'Angelo Russell getting emotional post game. Mentions the passing of his grandmother and that last shot was for herhttps://t.co/EzQZ2aigJ9
— NBA SKITS (@NBA_Skits) April 10, 2017
So when he ran into the stands to hug his family, that was why, in case the celebration seemed like it was too much. It just goes to show that sometimes you never know what’s going on with an athlete or what they’re going through on a particular night.
(ESPN)
