2015 NBA Draft Profile: D’Angelo Russell

Our series of 2015 NBA Draft profile have talked about consensus top pick Jahlil Okafor, the high upside of Karl-Anthony Towns, and the mystery surrounding Emmanuel Mudiay. Today’s profile talks about the possibility of another exciting point guard prospect for the future.

Name: D’Angelo Russell

School: Ohio State

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 175 pounds

Draft Position: Top 5 Pick

Overview: No one this college basketball season has improved their draft stock quite possible as much as Russell. As a top-20 ranked freshman, the expectations for an impact season for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but very little both on a national stage and in terms of the 2015 NBA Draft.

Russell has been anything but quiet this season, finishing the regular season as the Big Ten freshman of the year. En route, he’s dazzled fans with his beautiful passing, sweet lefty-stroke, and overall feel for the game. As is, Draft Express lists him above Mudiay as pro prospects, the #3 prospect overall behind Okafor and Towns.

While the Lakers drafted an apparent diamond in the rough with Jordan Clarkson this year, his position going forward is uncertain. The rookie out of Missouri has seen time regularly at both guard positions and has been effective in both. With Russell similarly as dynamic/versatile on Clarkson, the Lakers could make it work if they want Russell for the future.

Why The Lakers Should Be Excited: Quick, name the Lakers best point guard since Magic Johnson. If you named Derek Fisher, it’s probably because he was longest tenured. The man averaged less than eight points and three assists a game for LA.

Still thinking? Anyone you can name (save for possibly Nick Van Exel), Russell is probably already better than them (looking at you Smush Parker, Darius Morris, and 40-year old Steve Nash). As is, Clarkson is about halfway up the list of best post-Magic PGs in LA, and he’s only played half a season.

With Russell, the best way to describe his game is smooth. He doesn’t have the athleticism or aggression of Clarkson, who attacks the rim with ferocity. Instead, he has much better court vision and underrated passing to go along with a sweet stroke. He shoots 43.4% from behind the three-point line, a very respectable percentage no matter the level of play.

He’s best out of the pick and roll, where he can knock down a three if a defender goes under the screen or can come off the screen and knock down a mid-range jumper (although not as consistently). However, he’s deadliest when he feeds off the pick and roll and is looking to set up teammates in general. He picks apart teams with his bullet passing and his great feel for the game leads to some beautiful dimes. Take a look at this video, which is all passes from one single game.

Think of a better passing Goran Dragic, or even a poor man’s (for now) Manu Ginobili.

Why The Lakers Should Be Wary: The biggest question is the fact that he isn’t a “pure” point guard. He’s still a combo guard who lacks some natural skills of a point guard: ball control, handling, decision-making. That last one is a big one, as Russell can tend to make the flashy play instead of the simple one.

If the Lakers go with Russell, the idea of a Clarkson-Russell back court means you’re going without a true point guard and relying on two combo guards to initiate your offense. It’s a risky strategy, even though both have shown signs of being able to facilitate.

The other glaring problem is that defense is half of the game, and Russell isn’t great at playing. Part of that is due to the lack of athleticism by Russell, which hurts him on both ends of the court. He doesn’t have explosive speed or lateral quickness, which creates problems for him against top guards. He does have a nice wingspan (6’8.5″) and reach for his position.

We also don’t know how sustainable this level of play is. Russell hasn’t played at this level before, which could either be attributed to his development or a sort of flash-in-the-pan season. It may be harsh to say this, but it’s something the Lakers will have to figure out, with answers likely coming in pre-draft workouts.

Final Say: The Lakers’ decision will likely come down to whether they value a big man or a guard. If the Lakers fall to #4, it’s likely a matter of which one of the top four prospects (Okafor, Towns, Mudiay, Russell) are left. In any other spot, the Lakers will have to make a choice. Do they like what Russell could bring to the table over Mudiay? Do they value him enough to take him over Okafor and Towns? They’d have to REALLY be in love with him in that scenario.

Next: 2015 NBA Draft Profile: Gary Payton II

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