Nick Young: 'I hate the Wizards'
Nick Young isn't too fond of the organization that drafted him. In fact, he resents it.
Young was selected by the Washington Wizards with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2007 draft, but it doesn't appear he has many loving memories about his four-plus seasons in the nation's capital.
"I hate the Wizards," Young said, according to Bill Oram of the Orange County Register. "But I like some of the guys ... I just hate the Wizards."
Young was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2012, suiting up in 22 games for them before spending one season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The wingman then moved back west, this time signing with the Los Angeles Lakers. And in his opinion, there's no comparison between the two organizations.
"Being a Laker, there’s nothing like it," he said. "I think I learn more just being here and being around an atmosphere of winning, toughness and learning how to play under a great player like Kobe (Bryant)."
Young said he wasn't happy about how he was used during his partial season with the Clippers when he averaged 23.5 minutes, mainly in a reserve role, scoring 9.7 points per game. But he does look forward to playing them and is embracing the rivalry.
"You can't not claim it's a rivalry," he said. "The whole city is watching. It ain't about the wins and losses right now. When we play them it's going to be a battle, we know everybody's watching. We know if they win they're going to talk trash and say it's their city."
But if the Lakers win, Young said - in typical Swaggy P fashion - that it would be just another day.
Young's Lakers haven't been winning much and sit in second-last place in the Western Conference with an 11-24 record. To Young's credit, they're a more respectable 10-15 since he returned from a thumb injury and he's provided them with an offensive punch off the bench.
The Los Angeles native is averaging 14.8 points and shooting a career-best 43.2 percent from long range.