With the second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft the Los Angeles Lakers surprised many by selecting first-year Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell. Russell averaged 19.3 points, 5.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game during his only year in Columbus and was named a first-team AP All-American and Big Ten Freshman of the Year. D’Angelo joined Kenny Anderson and Danny Ainge as only the third freshman to ever average at least 19-5-5 in a season. The 19-year old star led the Buckeyes to a 24-11 record, including a win over seven-seed VCU in the NCAA tournament before being eliminated by the Arizona Wildcats in the round of 32. D’Angelo was the first of only three Big Ten alumni to be selected in the first round, along with Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky (#9 to Charlotte) and Sam Dekker (# 18 to the Rockets). He was one of an NBA Draft record 13 freshmen selected in the first round; more than the total number of first-year players selected in any previous draft class. Russell was not seen as an elite draft prospect until recently, and now on draft night the Ohio State basketball sensation once again exceeded expectations to become the first Buckeye selected in the top-two of the lottery since Evan Turner in 2010. I’m a LAKER! #Loading… — D’Angelo Russell (@Dloading) June 26, 2015 Throughout the entire 2014-15 college basketball season, Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns were viewed as the runaway top picks for this year’s draft lottery and even just hours before the event a majority of analysts and draft experts had the two big men listed as the top talents available for selection. Yet the Los Angeles Lakers saw something in D’Angelo Russell they felt was best for their team and their plans for reconstructing a storied franchise. With their selection of Russell, the Lakers displayed a trust in talent and seemingly outlined their plans for rebuilding. The Lakers seek improved guard play and a dominant low-post presence, and with free agency beginning next week it seems they will look to find the latter on the free market. …
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