DAngelo Russell had to say something. After all, his favorite player was right there, standing a few feet away, on the same court -- someone he had studied for years, devouring countless hours of footage, then rewinding and playing it again before trying to mimic it on the court.For years, Russells friends and family couldnt quite understand his adoration. The player he had long admired wasnt one of the NBAs biggest stars. He didnt play for a major-market team. He didnt even start.To Russell, none of that mattered, and when the games action paused for a pair of free throws during one of their matchups last season, the Los Angeles Lakers point guard, then a rookie, made his move and approached his idol the same way a fan might.Man, Russell told Spurs guard Manu Ginobili.?Its a pleasure to be out here with you.Russell cant remember what Ginobili said in return, but for Russell, the moment was cool enough.I was like, Damn, he said, because he was one of my favorite players growing up.Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, Antonio Russell Jr., like many his age, pledged allegiance to Kobe Bryant, but when it came time to pick sides, his younger brother went in a different direction.He used to tell me that his favorite player was Manu Ginobili, Antonio Jr. said. He always used to be like, Manu Ginobili, Manu Ginobili, Manu Ginobili.Antonio Jr.s response: Whoa.For years, Antonio Russell Sr. considered his 6-foot-5 son to be a blend of Jalen Rose and Lamar Odom, two left-handers with size who could handle the ball and do a bit of everything. He soon noticed that DAngelo just wasnt as interested in those players -- or anyone else -- as he was in Ginobili, an acrobatic lefty with court vision and, above all, a fearless nature.As time went on, I saw him pattern his game [after him] and doing the things that Ginobili does, Antonio Sr. said.DAngelo Russell studied film of Ginobili, trying to learn whatever he could.Yeah, basically everything Ginobili did, said Jamie Johnson, a childhood friend. He tried to watch how Ginobili moved off the ball -- just everything, as far as IQ-wise too, because Ginobili, of course, isnt the fastest guy. [DAngelo] understood that he wasnt fast either, so he tried to find players that were similar to him.Thats perhaps the largest reason Russell came to admire Ginobili so much: He believed Ginobilis style was one that he could emulate because their bodies, athleticism and skill sets seemed similar.See, its different when you ask who your favorite player was. You can say those American guys who made their name, like Kobe and Allen Iverson and Shaq and all those types of guys, he said. But I really look at it and say, if I could model my game after somebody [it would be Ginobili].Russell explained further by saying that if a player wanted to emulate, say, Dwyane Wade, he might focus more on pump-faking and midrange jumpers. If that player liked Bryant, precision footwork would be a priority. It depends what suited that specific player.You try to go to what youre accustomed to, he said. And Manu was never as athletic, but he could really pass the ball. He could score the ball, and he was just so unpredictable, and he was a lefty, so he was a player that I really prided myself on being.Throughout Russells youth, it seemed the Spurs were always in the NBA Finals, and Ginobili always seemed to be making a huge impact as a spark off the bench, helping San Antonio win four championships after he joined the team in 2002. For years, Russell followed the wily Argentinian, wondering how Ginobili remained so comfortable as a backup and seemed so ready coming into games, so bursting with energy.When he gets in the game, its like, the whole persona of the game just changes, he said. I was like, man, if I can pride myself into being like that, just being a guy thats so unpredictable that even at the age hes at now [39], hes so hard to guard.More than that, Russell said Ginobili was one of the first players to popularize the Eurostep dribble.Ever since then, everybody really started doing it, he said.As a rookie, Lakers staffers showed Russell footage of Ginobili, particularly how the Spurs ran plays to get him the ball -- a film assignment that didnt take much coaxing.He was just, like, so fiery, and he makes winning plays, and hes so unpredictable, so its hard for teams to scout him, he said.Russell hopes to develop all those traits, but theres one, above all, that he wants from his idol.Just the energy he has, he said. When he gets in the gym, I dont know, hes always ready. Its hard to come off the bench and be ready all the time. Hes always ready, and thats a skill. Authentic NHL Jerseys Cheap . The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. Fake Adidas NHL Jerseys . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. http://www.cheapnhlcustomjerseys.com/ . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. NHL Jerseys From China . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Fake NHL Jerseys . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The duo of Hannah Wilkinson and Anna Bialczak led a potent offensive attack for Tennessee in its 2-0 win over Texas A&M on Sunday evening at Regal Soccer Stadium.Wilkinson and Bialczak both had a goal and an assist on the night to lift the Volunteers (9-6, 4-3 SEC) to their third consecutive victory and sixth win in their last eight matches. Both goals came in the second half after neither team was able to find the back of the net in the opening 45 minutes. UT has now scored multiple goals in 10 of its last 12 games after scoring two or more goals just five times all of last season.Wilkinsons three points for the game propelled her up to third on Tennessees career points list with 76. She also moved into sole possession of second on UTs all-time goals chart with 30, trailing only Kylee Rossis 43 career goals from 2005-08.The Vols had the best of the chances and largely controlled possession in the first half, outshooting the Aggies 5-2. Texas A&M goalkeeper Danielle Rice made a pair of quality saves off a UT corner kick in the 34th minute, denying Maya Neal and Ariel Kupritz from inside the box.Wilkinson had the best chance of the half, nearly putting the Vols up 1-0 in the 41st minute. A great through ball from Claire Franks sprung Wilkinson free, but her shot from about 15 yards out curled just wide of the far post.The Big Orange broke the scoreless draw early in the second half with a goal off the head of Wilkinson in the 50th minute. The New Zealand native placed her header pperfectly to the back post off a great cross by Bialczak from the left flank.dddddddddddd Wilkinson is one of the hottest players in the country with goals in four straight games. She has racked up five goals, two assists and 12 points in that span to lead the Vols high-powered attack.The Aggies (7-6-1, 2-4-1 SEC) started to gain some traction after Wilkinsons goal but the UT defense held strong en route to posting its sixth shutout of the season. Sophomore goalkeeper Shae Yanez made four saves to earn her second-career shutout.The Orange and White put the final nail in the coffin with Bialczaks goal in the 86th minute. The Lutherville, Md., native corralled a cross from Wilkinson at the top of the six-yard box and easily taped it home from there to give the Vols a commanding two-goal lead with just over four minutes left in regulation.UT finished with a 14-9 shot advantage, led by Wilkinsons five attempts. Neal and Emily Morrow both picked up assists on the night as well. Haley Pounds led the Aggies with three shots and Rice finished with three stops in goal.With the win, Tennessee improved to 4-1 all-time against Texas A&M and remained unbeaten at home (3-0) against the Aggies. The Vols have only one game next week as they travel to Lexington to take on the Kentucky Wildcats next Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed live on SEC Network +/WatchESPN (Online). ' ' '