Opening Weekend Recap of Top NBA Draft Prospects

3.) D’Angelo Russell-G, Ohio State; Freshman. 18.5 ppg, 13-39 FGM-A, 6.5 rpg, 3.5 apg in two games. 

The first prospect whose team’s tournament run came to an end this weekend arguably was the only reason they were there in the first place. Ohio State freshman guard D’Angelo Russell one-man-showed his Buckeyes to a 20+ win season and an at-large tournament bid. The dazzling combo guard from Louisville went from buried on the draft board to perhaps the top backcourt option in the class of 2015 all in the matter of one season.

Unlike the previous two players on our list, Russell has not had the luxury of a handful of McDonald’s All-Americans alongside him to take the heat off of him. The freshman became public enemy number one for Ohio State opponents early on in the season and that did not change until the Buckeyes run came to an end on Saturday at the hands of Arizona. Russell’s ability to still turn in eye-popping performances after the physical and mental beating he most likely took over the course of a freshman season is what have many hinting that he could be a truly special player when the dust settles.

D’Angelo Russell played the type of combo guard position that is becoming more prominent in today’s NBA game. A player with high-end scoring potential and the ability to distribute is becoming more the norm in the pros than the traditional ‘pass-first’ point guard. To put it even more simply, teams want their best player with the ball in his hands more than anyone else. For Russell, that could not have been more the case than it was in his one season at Ohio State.

The 6’5″, 180-pound Russell finished his year averaging 19.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, and 5.0 apg all while playing just under 34 minutes per contest. At 18.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 3.5 apg over his two tournament games, Russell showed he had not yet run out of steam. Especially in his team’s dramatic overtime victory over VCU in the round of 64, Russell showed his star potential. Here are the highlights from the game. (courtesy of r/Sixers)

Though he was not as strong in the team’s season-ending loss to Ohio State, that did not stop Russell from providing one of his patented ‘did-you-see-that’ moments.

Some have knocked Russell for his lack of athleticism. This is an area that probably won’t affect him too much when it comes to evaluations, given the careers already turned in by players like Stephen Curry and James Harden. The two MVP front-runners play a methodical game much like Russell’s that relies more on controlling the game and skills than physicality.

For a team that is seemingly without a future backcourt piece on the roster, D’Angelo Russell very well could be the top player on the Sixers board. If Sam Hinkie thinks Russell has the potential to be a star, he is worth more to his team than either Okafor or Towns. While we’ve seen glimpses of what type of team we could expect on the floor for the Sixers in the future, it’s no secret they are in desperate need of scoring. There might not be a better prospect in the draft at doing just that than Russell. It’s a shame for basketball fans that we won’t be able to watch him play another competitive game until next Fall.