Brooklyn Nets: 2018-19 player grades for D’Angelo Russell
By Nick Crain
D’Angelo Russell was arguably the NBA’s most improved player in the 2018-19 season. Here is his overall grade for his breakout season.
On the back of D’Angelo Russell, the Brooklyn Nets made their first playoff appearance since the 2014-15 NBA season. Although the Nets were taken out in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers, it was a step in the right direction for the franchise.
Prior to this season, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft had been seen as a player who had never lived up to the hype. After his performance in the 2018-19 season, that narrative has been shut down.
Still just 23 years old, Russell is only scratching the surface of his potential. The drastic improvement he made this season had him in talks for the NBA Most Improved Player award. If he can continue to develop at the rate he has as of late, Russell could be one of the best guards in the league in no time, especially in the Eastern Conference.
Overall, the success of Russell, his teammates, and the team as a whole have shifted the mentality of the NBA towards the Nets. They are now a team that is viewed in a positive light and is even an attractive destination for big-name free agents in this upcoming offseason. The Nets are a team that is just a few key pieces away from really making some noise in the Eastern Conference.
This was D’Angelo Russell’s breakout season in which he took the NBA by storm. He earned his first NBA All-Star nod and averaged career-highs in many different statistical categories.
Upon being one of the most improved players in the league, let’s grade D’Angelo Russell’s season.