The Clippers handed the Pistons their second loss tonight as LA won 136-125. But there is one player who is ecstatic despite the loss. Detroit’s rising young star Jaden Ivey is over the moon with the attention he’s been getting this week from senior NBA players.

In the Pistons’ previous loss to the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell was all praises for the 21-year-old. And tonight, Russell Westbrook also noticed the guard and gave him advice. Talking about this post-game, Ivey says, “They see the God-given gifts that I’ve been given … They’re going to be great players by the end of their careers. For them to give me advice means a lot. It’s amazing they see something in me.”

The All-Rookie Second Teamer did not fail to give the elite guards their due flowers, either. When the reporter mentioned Westbrook’s historical night (25th player to score 25,000 points), Jaden said that he deserves that and more. It’s simply not on account of his scoring prowess alone. “What he does for his team … he rebounds, he plays defense, he plays hard. He is going to be remembered as a famed player.”

Mitchell, for his part, had some words of encouragement for Ivey. Mitch reportedly said that he saw the young guard was “pissed” at the loss. While it was good to see the emotion, the “Spida” knows all too well what getting hung up on defeat can do. “Don’t get used to losing … [and] don’t let that define you, that’s the biggest thing,” he said.

Clearly, Mitch and Russ see the potential of the 2022 draft pick. But it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Ivey has a much closer relationship with Westbrook and that would explain the close bond that they shared on-screen.

Ivey and Russell Westbrook go back a long way

In Ivey’s rookie season, when Russ was still with the Lakers, the pair of them got together for training. It was an unstable period for Westbrook. LA was looking for a potential trade with Russell on the table. So, he had decided to dedicate the summer to revamping his game.

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Even before this, the Purdue product had voiced his admiration for the ‘Beastbrook’. In an interview that Ivey had given to the Bleacher Report, the then NBA aspirant said that he modeled his game after point guards, Russell Westbrook and Ja Morant.

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So, it’s no wonder that Jaden would gladly accept any chance to get together with his role model. There is no doubt that greater accolades are waiting for him in the future!

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