[Fischer] Kobe Bryant's advice to rookie D’Angelo Russell: “Guys go out and partу in every city. I’m meeting with the CEO of Apple. Think about what you want to do when you’re done playing and work on it now, so when the basketball’s done for you, you’ve already built a brand.”

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Those skeptics didn’t hear Russell badger Lou Williams for scoring tricks or ask Metta World Peace how to handle public scrutiny. The teenager often hung out with one of Bryant’s private security guards on the road too. One night in Houston, Bryant returned back to his room after meeting with Tim Cook in the hotel lobby.

“Guys go out and party in every city,” the Hall of Famer told Russell. “I’m meeting with the CEO of Apple. Think about what you want to do when you’re done playing and work on it now, so when the basketball’s done for you, you’ve already built a brand.”

Russell admits he failed to grasp many of Bryant’s teachings then. “Everything he said to me comes back around all the time,” Russell says. “He used to say this, he used to say that, drop the jewels here.” They’d break down specific play sets and how to read various defenses. Russell was young, but he had veterans to check his swagger.