"I used to beat you 1v1" - D'Angelo Russell pokes fun at former Lakers' star seeking help
During the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, D'Angelo Russell and Metta World Peace, the NBA veteran formerly known as Ron Artest, played together in LA. The two seasons were largely considered unsuccessful, with the team going just 17-65 in Kobe Bryant's final season, and 26-56 the year after. At the time, Metta World Peace, aka Ron Artest, was in the middle of his second stint with the team.
After winning a title with Kobe Bryant during the 2009-10 season, World Peace spent three more years with the team before spending a season in New York. After heading overseason for the 2014-15 season, he returned to the Lakers for the 2015-16 season, Kobe Bryant's last.
That year marked D'Angelo Russell's rookie year with the team, and the first of his second year playing alongside World Peace, aka Ron Artest. Years later, with Artest starting up a podcast, he took to social media to ask fans to help him come up with topics for his podcast.
Moreover, he also asked fans who they want to see him interview on the show, drawing a reaction from the LA Lakers guard. As Russell wrote, the former NBA enforcer should talk about how he used to lose to the young guard in practice before his Venice Beach League games.
"Give me some topics to talk about on my podcast …. Also, who do you want to see me interview?"
"Tell em how I use to beat you 1v1 after practice, before your venice beach league games."
"He was a killer" - Ron Artest praised D'Angelo Russell in 2021 interview
While D'Angelo Russell's response on X may make it seem as though the pair have a beef of sorts, that isn't the case. From the sounds of things, the time that both D'Angelo Russell and Ron Artest spent together in LA saw the pair grow to respect one another.
In 2021, during an interview with Ben Stinar, the 2009-10 NBA champ indicated that during the two years the pair spent in LA, he was impressed by Russell. At the time, of course, D'Angelo Russell was fresh off a one-year stint at Ohio State that saw him earn Consensus first-team All-American honors.
Despite being just a teenager, D'Angelo Russell impressed Artest and left the NBA vet with the feeling that once the guard grew into his body, he would be a champ.
"I played D'Angelo Russell 1 on 1 a lot. Talented kid. You can tell as he was 19, his body was like a baby body. He was knock-kneed. But you can tell he was a killer. This kid is tough and just so confident. He's gonna be a champion."
The topic and praise from Artest largely went unnoticed by the NBA community given the controversy that surrounded Russell's rookie year. At the time, of course, he was ostracized by his teammates after secretly recording Nick Young, sparking marital problems for Swaggy P.
Based on Russell's tweet directed at Artest, it sounds as though the two still have a pretty good relationship. Whether Russell winds up as a guest on Artest's podcast, only time will tell.