At this point, nearly everyone around the 2015 NBA Draft has concluded that the Minnesota Timberwolves will be selecting Karl-Anthony Towns with the first overall pick. In some ways, the lack of perceived drama as to what Minnesota will do has dampened some excitement.
However, what happens after that pick, with the Los Angeles Lakers, has people around the industry buzzing.
Long thought to be thrilled with the idea of bringing in a player like Jahlil Okafor, one of the most gifted offensive talents that we’ve seen out of a big man in quite some time, the Lakers front office has reportedly been second guessing the idea of taking the former Duke star. Some around the NBA are saying that the Lakers now covet D’Angelo Russell.
Russell, the dynamic point guard out of Ohio State, has long been linked to the Philadelphia 76ers at the No. 3 spot, but has gained some momentum with the Lakers.
For this writer, Okafor would be a quality pick for Los Angeles. He’s got a complete low-post game, and with a professional organization, I believe that he can get in the shape he needs to be in to defend at the NBA level.
Still, there’s something about Russell that has me feeling like he might just be the best player in this whole draft.
Russell’s combination of size and skill for his position–not to mention the fact that he can easily co-exist with another ball handler–is unmatched in this class, but it’s the mental side of the game that makes him a star in the making.
