The NBA has scheduled only three matchups for Sunday’s slot of games and the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t one of the six teams participating. Therefore, D’Angelo Russell probably didn’t expect any mentions or call-outs on social media. Thanks to a bizarre social media post by the Atlanta Falcons, Russell’s phone is probably blowing up now.
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The ATL side survived some tough competition provided by the Dallas Cowboys to retain their #1 spot in the NFC South after a 27-21 win. The organization’s social media team is known for having some of the quirkiest posts across in all of North American sports. They lived up to their reputation by randomly taking a nasty jab at D’Lo.
Falcons Linebacker Kaden Elliss was photographed with the team mascot following their sixth victory of the season. The Falcons’ official X account posted the photo with Russell photoshopped in the background taking a jump shot. The post was supposed to be a reference to an old meme and carried the caption, “Lakers D’Angelo Russell getting shots up after the Falcons win over the Cowboys“.
Lakers D’Angelo Russell getting shots up after the Falcons win over the Cowboys pic.twitter.com/4JWAJxxaYG
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 3, 2024
This popular “Russell is getting shots up” meme got traction in the sports world during the 2023 Western Conference Finals. D’Lo had an awful performance in Game 1 against the Nuggets – 8 points on 36.4% FG and 0-3 from the three-point line. To find his rhythm ahead of Game 2, Russell stayed back on the court after the game and got some shots up after the loss.
However, the veteran guard still shot 3-for-8 from the field and 1-for-5 from three in the next game. Since then, the 6ft 3” player has been trolled for practicing at moments without any cause.
This meme has gotten more traction in the recent past than it did in 2023. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series and used this hilarious yet random reference in their social media post.
Russell was born in Louisville and played most of his high school basketball in Florida for the popular Montverde Academy. After spending his lone college basketball year at Ohio State, the point guard was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. He has had stints representing the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So he is not connected to either of the two participating NFL teams or the cities in any way. The Falcons didn’t really have any reason to troll the 28-year-old. But then, does a team need a reason to start an online feud?
With almost 1 million views on the Falcons’ post, it is safe to assume that D’Lo is aware of this social media activity. But he hasn’t replied to the team implying that he isn’t amused with his meme being used.
One can expect Russell and the Lakers to clap back with snarky responses once they defeat the Hawks in Atlanta on December 6th.
