Former Ohio State Basketball Point Guard D'Angelo Russell Ready for Next NBA Chapter
Although short lived, D’Angelo Russell certainly left his mark on Ohio State Basketball with his outstanding play during the 2014-15 season.
Receiving Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors along with first team All-American status, Russell averaged 19.8 points along with 5.0 assists in a season that also included the first triple-double recorded by an Ohio State freshman. That accomplishment came against Rutgers just before Valentine's Day.
Drafted as the second overall pick in 2015 by the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell has since seen four NBA uniforms in his young career.
During his rookie campaign with the Lakers, the 6-foot-5 point guard earned second team All-Rookie honors as he led both the Lakers and all rookies in steals. The lefty became the youngest player to hit 130 three-pointers in a season.
Traded to the Brooklyn Nets in June of 2017, Russell underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in November of the same year before returning in January to complete his first season in Brooklyn. He admirably delivered 15.5 points and 5.2 assists per game.
The following year saw unprecedented pro numbers for the former McDonald's All-American as Russell scored a career-high 38 points against the Philadelphia 76ers in November of 2018. His remarkable play continued throughout the season as he was selected as an NBA All-Star for the first time behind a stellar 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per night.
The former Buckeye standout also led the Nets to a playoff appearance during the 2018-19 campaign as they fell in the first round to the 76ers in just five games.
In July of 2019, Russell was dealt to the Golden State Warriors as part of a blockbuster deal which sent former NBA Most Valuable Player, Kevin Durant, to Brooklyn.
He signed a max contract of four years, $117 million as part of that deal. In his short stint with the struggling Warriors, Russell averaged 23.6 points and 6.2 assists per game before landing in his current spot of Minnesota. Competing in just 12 games at his new home in Minneapolis before the shutdown, the Timberwolves finished 14th in the Western Conference and are not part of the NBA restart in Orlando.
Russell, who is very close with fellow Minnesota teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, is certainly looking to continue building in this next chapter.
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