Lots of talk has been surrounding Ohio State freshman guard D’Angelo Russell. Over the course of the young season, he has proven himself to be one of the top players in all of NCAA basketball. His game has taken pundits by surprise, surfacing from the shadows of names like Jahlil Okafor and Emmanuel Mudiay.
On top of tremendous play, he has also led the Buckeyes to a 15-5 start in the Big Ten. Russell is eating up the national spotlight and elevating his draft status, possibly placing him in the sights of what was once an elite franchise: The Los Angeles Lakers.
Where do you start with the Lakers woes? One could look at the revolving door of coaches ranging from Mike Brown to Mike D’Antoni. The team is seeking stability first and foremost, and they’ve done that by hiring Byron Scott. With coaching settled the next thing that the Lakers have to address if establishing their point guard of the future.
Right now, Ronnie Price is the team’s starter, and that doesn’t bode well for them. Russell currently would challenge both Price and backup Jeremy Lin for minutes. With a strong chance at retaining the fourth overall spot in the 2015 NBA Draft, D’Angelo Russell could be the answer to the Lakers point guard problem.
Russell is a smooth lefty with great size at point guard (6’5″). He not only uses his size to his advantage, but his court vision and passing is already NBA-caliber. To top those qualities off, he proves even more versatile by showing the ability to rebound. His overall game is reflected in this season’s numbers (19.3 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game).
The great thing about Russell’s game is that he dominates the game with mostly skill and has proven to be a good shooter. Russell is currently sitting at 47 percent from the field and 45.3 percent from three-point range. These are surprising numbers for a freshman, considering most lead guards are working on their shooting ability before going to the next level.
Russell is comfortable in both the halfcourt setting and initiating the fast break. His ability to hit the boards and push tempo is an ideal attribute to bring to a team like the Lakers. The dynamic which the team is missing lies in having a player to get everyone into their spots comfortably.
It may take some time to get the feel of the NBA’s physicality, but Russell could turn into that player in Los Angeles.
In Russell’s most recent performance against Northwestern, he demonstrated the poise and dominance that should have the Lakers’ front office buzzing. Russell poured in 33 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. He also nailed six three-pointers in the game. It doesn’t get any better, in terms of an all-around showcase that Russell displayed.
Ok, this kid can pass. “@AlexWalkerABC9: De'Angelo Russell with a DIRTY bounce pass against NW. 😳 https://t.co/nM9k8lK4Tp”
— walt (@HoopeFiasco) January 23, 2015
While the NBA season rolls on, the Lakers will wait to see where the team will end up by June. Kobe Bryant has gone down with a torn rotator cuff and it is likely ending his season. Without their best player, the Lakers are bound to suffer many defeats, while strengthening their draft position.
If the team falls any lower than their current fourth position, it guarantees them in the top-three lottery. That possibility is favorable, giving Los Angeles a greater chance at grooming a great young point guard like Russell.
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