D’Angelo Russell Admits He’d Avoid Shaking Byron Scott’s Hand When He Got Subbed as a Rookie

Golden State Warriors star point guard D'Angelo Russell didn't have the best introduction to life in the NBA, as he was thrown into the pressure cooker that was the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers.

Russell and then-head coach Byron Scott were like oil and water that first year, as the guard admitted he would avoid shaking hands with Scott when he was subbed out of a game.

D-Lo claimed he would take the long route back to the bench in order to avoid having to have an exchange with Scott after being removed from the game.

The 23-year-old claims he would sit far away from Scott on the bench, normally stewing about his coach and bemoaning the fact that he was drafted into such a chaotic situation. A bad look, sure, but he was just 19, so that can be chalked up to immaturity.

Russell, who is now averaging 22.0 points and 6.2 assists per game for the Warriors after an All-Star season with the Brooklyn Nets, flourished once he left the Lakers. Scott, on the other hand, has yet to land another NBA coaching job.

This was a perfect storm of a 19-year-old struggling to match his incredibly high expectations under the watch of a coach who prefers to lead veteran players over rookies. It's best for both parties that their divorce was as swift as it was.