D’Angelo Russell shows off a bag of essentials ... and tricks ... to GQ

Last Thursday, GQ, the international men’s magazine, uploaded the latest in one of its best-known series, “10 Essentials,” that is, “10 things their favorite people can’t live without.” This episode starred D’Angelo Russell.

Take a look...

A lot of the episode is about traveling as an NBA player and what that entails, aka a lot of planning.

The first essential for DLo was a hoodie. Yes, a hoodie is not so exciting compared to other athletes essentials in previous GQ series but he showed his “Muhammad Ollie” streetwear sweatshirt. The sweatshirt’s image looks like a cartoon image of Muhammad Ali riding a skateboard. It is what it is.

Next up was a pillow he received as gift. On the pillow is a picture of his bernedoodle dog Mollie, one of his two dogs. The other is Max.

“I don’t know it was a gift so I didn’t ask questions,” Russell said. “I just kept it.”

The third essential Russell talked about was surprising yet interesting; a book. DLO talks about The Way Of The Superior Man by David Deida.

“I like to read and The Way Of The Superior Man is definitely the book I think all men should get a hold of,” said DLo. “Just how to be a man and how to treat your woman. It’s a great message in general. You also look smarter reading a book in the airport.”

DLo showed off two of his favorite colognes; Tom Ford and Angel. He also showed he has an interest in sunglasses. DLo talked about a pari he brought at the airport and how he is ‘that guy” that buys sunglasses from sidewalk sellers in SOHO.

DLo talked about his laptop and what makes it an essential on long flights.

A speaker is something almost everyone carries around now a days and DLo is in that category. He showed his white Beats pill and explained how he controls all the music in the locker room.

“Whenever there is music playing, most likely I’m the one that turned it on.”

(Editor’s note: we didn’t know that’s part of point guard portfolio.)

And what do all these essentials go in? A bag. Russell talked a bit about a bag which he assumes was a gift from his mom.

Now onto the more intriguing essentials.

Russell explains his love for Jordan shoes and that the Retro 14’s were his favorite shoes growing up.

“You should always have a pair of shoes that you can operate in and hoop in at the same time,” said DLO. “Jordan have always been that.”

Russell then showed off one of his Nets caps. The cap shown in the video was given to Russell at the “Path to the Cap” screening his journey from high school to his NBA Draft moment, a custom NBA Draft cap with his number and a few Brooklyn patches. He went on to explain why he chose to wear number 1.

“I always see mascots with the number one on,” said Russell. “Everybody sees number 1; it’s simple.”

The biggest highlight from the GQ video was when DLo pulled off an impressive card trick; yes a card trick.

Russell showed a woman named Jess a stack of 21 cards and had her pick one of the cards. He then made five sets of four cards; two sets went to Jess, DLo took two sets, and one set was trashed.

In the end, after Russell tossed cards and ended up with only two, he let Jess get rid of one. In the end, the remaining card was the match to Jess’ initial card.

“If You Don’t Know, Now You Know,” noted DLo”

We know, we know.