Los Angeles Lakers

D'Angelo Russell says he feels 'sick' about secret video, has apologized

Published Mar. 30, 2016 9:07 p.m. ET

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Nunzio Ingrassia

As the fallout from D'Angelo Russell's secret videotaping of Nick Young continues, the Lakers' No. 2 pick decided to speak up on the topic before the team's game against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

"I feel as sick as possible,” Russell said at a news conference. “I wish I could make things better right away but I can’t.”

When asked if his actions have put Young’s relationship and engagement to rapper Iggy Azalea in jeopardy, Russell didn’t take the easy way out.

“Honestly I do,” he said. “I’ve always been known as a guy who plays around a lot and (Nick) has been too. … He’s one of the guys I’ve always talked to about anything, and I cherished our friendship. For me to have an incident like this come up and put it in jeopardy was not what I was intending to do.”

Russell, who taped Young talking about encounters he's had with other women, told Yahoo Sports' The Vertical that he and Young "do dumb stuff all the time."

"The thing is, we record ourselves doing dumb stuff all the time," Russell told the outlet. "On the road or home, wherever. We go back and watch what we did and said and laugh at ourselves. I guess I just never thought that these pranks we pull on ourselves could have bigger consequences. That was a big lesson I learned."

Russell said he doesn't know how the video got leaked and that the team has not isolated him since the incident, but admits there’s been a “bad vibe.”

“We just got the clear the air,” the 20-year-old rookie said.

Russell has struggled to solidify his role on the team, getting inconsistent minutes from head coach Byron Scott earlier in the season. That has changed recently, allowing fans to see flashes of his potential. He doesn't want this episode to shake the confidence the franchise and the fans have in him.

“If I’ve lost anyone’s trust, I’m gonna work my tail off to gain it back,” Russell said. “That’s something we need for a winning team. We need everybody to trust each other.”

Russell said he reached out to Young to apologize, but he didn’t know if Young had accepted.

But it appears Russell's apology is also in dispute at this point.

A visibly dejected Young also addressed the media and stressed that he wanted to handle the situation with Russell privately.

“I don’t want to get into my personal life right now,” Young said. “I think it’s best me and D’Angelo handle the situation we have in a private manner, outside the media. I think it’s something we really do need to sit down and talk about.” 

Russell is a pillar of the last-place Lakers' rebuilding effort, but he was lightly booed by Lakers fans in pregame introductions and in the opening minutes against the Heat. Other fans shouted "Snitch!" and "Traitor!" from the stands at Staples Center.

Lakers coach Byron Scott agreed that the controversy is likely to hurt his team's trust in its point guard. Even before the video drama, Scott publicly questioned the maturity level of Russell, who is averaging 13.1 points, 3.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds this season.

Young hasn't played for the Lakers in 10 straight games, but is under contract for next season with a player option for 2017-18.

The video flap is just the latest tawdry mistake by a roster that sits 29th in the overall NBA standings, leading only Philadelphia.

Earlier this month, Young and starting guard Jordan Clarkson were embarrassed when a woman claimed they made inappropriate, harassing gestures at her while their cars were stopped at a traffic light in Hollywood, leading the players to claim the incident was "a miscommunication."

Kobe Bryant's farewell season also has been a disaster on the court for the Lakers, who are 16-59. They're wrapping up the worst three-season stretch in club history after last season's Lakers went 21-61, setting the franchise record for losses and worst winning percentage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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