GROWING UP
Nets' Russell proving he belongs with heady play and All-Star selection
Nets general manager Sean Marks’ decision not to hand D’Angelo Russell a huge extension before this season was partly for bookkeeping purposes. But it also was partly to see if the young guard could prove capable of staying healthy, prove he could learn to be a pro and just plain prove himself.
Russell has done that, more than the Nets could have hoped. He earned his first All-Star berth at age 22 — although the Nets hope it’s not his last.
“Probably a combination of both,” Marks admitted to The Post. “With D’Lo, he was coming off the knee surgery. [But] he’s shown he’s put in the time and the work with the performance team. We’ve all noticed his body change over the summer.
“You’ve got to give him the credit. He’s listened to the coaches. Jacque [Vaughn] has done a great job with him as sort of his personal coach. He’s bought into the performance team. It’s clear his habits have changed. He’s rounding out into a pro. It’s great to see.”
Russell missed two months following knee surgery last season, but this time around he has remained healthy and is averaging career-highs of 20.3 points and 6.6 assists going into the All-Star break. Russell has set himself up for a raise in restricted free agency (there’s no non-buyer’s remorse apparent from Marks) after exceeding all expectations.
“There’s some areas where I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” Marks said. “Listen, there’s a ton of credit due to D’Angelo. We knew he has elite skills, no question there. And the fact that he’s harnessing them in a way that we haven’t seen before, that’s exciting. It’s exciting to watch a young man like that continue to develop, continue to evolve and maximize the opportunities that he’s been given.
“He came in from Day 1 and said, ‘I want you to coach me hard,’ and that’s what Kenny [Atkinson has] done. They’ve formed a nice bond and a good relationship. We’re seeing his leadership start to grow. We’ve never questioned his vision and ball-handling and ability to make other people better. It’s playing in a system and taking the right shots at the right time. I give him a lot of credit: He’s deserving because he’s put the work in.”
Russell admits he previously didn’t know how to be a professional, but has learned how with the Nets. His work habits stepped up this summer, and carried his game along with them. His body has improved, and so has his rapport with Atkinson. He didn’t chafe under tough coaching, and the two have built mutual trust.
“We’ve got to hold him as a very high-caliber player because that’s what he is,” 10-year veteran DeMarre Carroll said. “He showed us too much this season, so we have to keep him at that same level.”
Since Dec. 7, Russell has averaged 22.1 points and 7.4 assists to lead a 22-11 Nets run into the All-Star break. And he rebounded from a tough start Wednesday at Cleveland to finish with 36 points in a tripleovertime win — 14 of them in the final extra period.
Through regulation, Russell had 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting — and seven turnovers. Atkin- son got on Russell and he responded with 24 turnover-free points in the three overtime periods on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor.
“I took him out a couple times, saying, ‘Come on, man, with the turnovers. We can do better. You’ve got to focus in better.’ And he said, ‘OK, coach.’ We had our little conversation. It works both ways, a give-andtake,” Atkinson said. “He’s a genuinely good-hearted person and he’s coachable. That makes it easier for me.”
It also makes it easier to take when Russell waves off a play Atkinson has called and runs another, as he did versus the Cavaliers. It’s something Russell wouldn’t have done last season, but he’s more in sync with Atkinson, like an extension of the coach on the floor.
“That’s where we’ve grown. When I first got here I probably wouldn’t have had that,” Russell said. “I’ve just grown with coach and figured him out, learning him. He gives you that leeway. Nothing but respect.”
As Russell continues to prove, he has grown.