D'Angelo Russell knew his name was going to be called early in Thursday night's NBA Draft, and boy was it.
The Los Angeles Lakers used the No. 2 pick in the draft to make Russell their first-round pick. He's the highest-selected Buckeye since 2010, when Evan Turner was the No. 2 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Russell was perhaps the finest freshman in college basketball last season, earning the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award and landing on multiple All-American teams. He averaged 19.3 points per game, 5.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game in his lone season of college basketball.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
[MORE BIG TEN: NCAA proposes allowing NBA Draft declarers to return to school]
Russell wowed with high-scoring performances all season long, breaking the 30-point barrier on two separate occasions. He averaged more than 20 points per game in 18 Big Ten conference games. He made four or more 3-pointers in nine different games.
Russell shone on the big stage, too, scoring 28 points in an NCAA tournament game against VCU.
Russell is the 10th player drafted out of Ohio State since Thad Matta took over as head coach, and all but two of those have been first-round picks: Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Daequan Cook, Kosta Koufos, Byron Mullens, Turner, Jared Sullinger and Russell.
