The Los Angeles Lakers worked out D’Angelo Russell, point guard out of Ohio State on Monday afternoon, whose draft stock has been steadily rising since the beginning of the year. Many peg Russell as the top guard in this draft, alongside Emmanuel Mudiay, and the majority of mock drafts have him listed in either the three or four slot.
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It wasn’t always this way. Russell was not heavily recruited out of high school and he didn’t crawl up into the top ten draft prospects until about December this past year, but being underrated has always been something Russell says he thrives on.
I honestly love it. I thrive with it,” Russell told LakersNation.com on being underrated. “That gives me an edge because I know where I came from and I know what I put in. I’ve got the confidence of my work ethic that I’ve put in. Just gives me the edge on the court.”
With the number two pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, if the Lakers decide to go with a guard, Russell’s name is certainly in the conversation. After just one collegiate season at Ohio State, Russell won the Jerry West Award and was a consensus First-Team All-American.
In the video above, Russell makes a player comparison to NBA MVP Stephen Curry, and talks about what he thinks it would be like to play with Kobe Bryant, after spending so many years of dreaming about playing against him. Plus, Russell talks about his relationship with top prospect Karl-Anthony Towns and where he thinks he will fit in in the NBA.
[divide]Emmanuel Mudiay Or D’Angelo Russell?