"I wanna be Derrick White" - LA Lakers star shares uncanny inspiration choice; outlines "winning plays" as reason

LA Lakers star D'Angelo Russell is getting ready for the start of the regular season and has his sights set on helping the 17-time NBA champions maintain their title-contending status. Russell is expected to be the Lakers' starting point guard, as he looks to become the best version of himself and a complete two-way player this year.

As he is working on elevating his game, he named one player that he uses as inspiration on the defensive end. And that player is Boston Celtics' guard Derrick White.

"I’m not using preseason as preseason, I’m using it as the first few games of the season. That’s just my approach. If I look crazy doing it or picking up guys full-court, diving and doing all that, that what I’m gonna be," D'Angelo Russell told he media on Sunday, via LeBron Wire.

"My inspiration has been Derrick White. I wanna be Derrick White. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for what he does, makes all the winning plays, and that’s who I wanna be."

Derrick White has been one of the best Celtics players over the past couple of years, coming off the bench in a sixth-man role. His presence has been key to Boston's deep playoff run in 2022 (NBA Finals) and 2023 (Eastern Conference Finals), respectively.

Last year, he had averages of 12.4 ppg, 3.9 apg and 3.6 rpg, on 38.1 percent from beyond the arc, including the game-winner in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals vs the Miami Heat, which forced a Game 7.

D'Angelo Russell wants to elevate his game defensively for the Lakers

D'Angelo Russell was never considered an elite defender. He was great offensively, but average defensively. This year, he wants this to change and has named his defensive improvement as a major target heading into the start of the season.

"Last year they found a way to get me off the floor by not playing defense I guess, so trying to be a reason to eliminate that. Not give them a reason to not have me on the floor," the Lakers star guard said a few days ago, via LeBron Wire.

"Try to be as dangerous as I can on offense, try not to be a liability on defense, so that’s what I’m working on. I’m trying to do it now before the season, so continue to practice those good habits."

Improving on defense will give Russell more playing time on the floor, as the Lakers view him as a key part of the rotation. His arrival in February was one of the reasons for the squad's transformation in the final part of the year, which ended with a trip to the Western Conference Finals and a sweep by the eventual champions Denver Nuggets.

D'Angelo Russell (17.8 ppg, 6.2 apg, 39.6 percent from beyond the arc last season) and the Lakers will meet the Nuggets in their season opener next Tuesday, October 24.