Russell has quietly become one of the Nation’s top NBA prospects. Some even going as far to say he is more pro ready than Duke freshman, Jahlil Okafor. His stable play and leadership have the Buckeyes ready to take on both the Big 10 and NCAA Tournament’s.
Despite not getting the publicity as some of the more-heralded incoming freshman, Russell was still considered a five-star recruit coming out of Louisville, Kentucky.
This season Russell is showing off an all-around game that has many scouts deeming him worthy of the top overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He leads the Buckeyes in points with 19.0 a game, which is 7.7 points ahead of the team’s second leading scorer, Marc Loving.
Due in large part to Russell’s scoring the Ohio State Buckeyes sit second in the Big 10 with a 78.9 points per game scoring average. However, scoring isn’t the only part to Russell’s overall play worth noting. On the season, Russell averages 5.4 assists and 5.8 rebounds for Ohio State. Currently, Russell’s assist average rank him 27th in the nation.
Despite being one of the most versatile players in the country, Russell knows he can take his play to new heights. That’s something the guard strives to work on every time he touches a basketball, which he stated to reporters.
“Personally, I feel like it’s scary for my opponents because I feel like I get better in every game. When we practice, I learn something that I didn’t know going into that practice or game. It’s scary because I feel it. I get better every game.”
With a game changer running the show, the Ohio State basketball team has momentum going into March. Just get a good look at D’Angelo Russell now Buckeye Nation, because the NBA is calling his name.