Scott: Irving, Paul More Mature as Rookies Than Russell

“I haven’t been the easiest man on him (D’Angelo Russell) in the world,” (Byron) Scott said hours before his Lakers fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-111 at Quicken Loans Arena. “But I always seem to go back to thinking — after I’ve been so hard on him on certain occasions — that he’s 19 years old, and he’s just a kid playing in a man’s world. I know the potential is there. He’s just got to keep working at it. I’m going to stay on him because I think he has a chance to be a very good basketball player.”

Later Wednesday, Scott further critiqued Russell by saying the former Ohio State standout is not as mature as other top-flight rookie point guards Scott coached, such as Kyrie Irving in Cleveland and Chris Paul in New Orleans.

Source: Baxter Holmes of ESPN