D’Angelo Russell is a professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association’s Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA). He was born in Louisville, Kentucky on February 23, 1996, and attended high school in Florida. Russell was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2015 NBA Draft, and he has since shown to be an excellent point guard.
Early Years and College Career
Russell was a top high school prospect in his home state of Kentucky and moved to Florida to attend Montverde Academy, where he led his team to a 28-0 record and a national championship in his senior year. He was named the McDonald’s All-American Game MVP and was also named to the Parade All-American First Team and the USA Today All-USA First Team.
Russell committed to playing college basketball at Ohio State University, where he played for one season. He quickly became one of the team’s best players, leading the Buckeyes in points, assists, and steals, and was named a consensus First Team All-American. After his rookie year, he declared for the NBA draft and was largely expected to be a top-five choice.
NBA Career
Los Angeles Lakers (2015-2017)
In the 2015 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Russell as the second overall pick. He played two seasons with the team, and despite a rocky start, he eventually established himself as a key player for the Lakers. In his second season, he averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game, earning him a berth on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Brooklyn Nets (2017-2019)
In June 2017, Russell was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for centre Brook Lopez and the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Russell quickly became a fan favourite in Brooklyn, where he helped lead the Nets to their first playoff appearance in four years during the 2018-19 season. During the 2018-19 season, he was chosen to the NBA All-Star Game for the first time in his career, averaging 21.1 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Golden State Warriors (2019-2020)
In July 2019, Russell was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Kevin Durant. He played one season with the Warriors, averaging 23.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game, but the team struggled with injuries and missed the playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-Present)
In February 2020, Russell was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster deal that sent Andrew Wiggins and draft picks to the Warriors. He was reunited with his former coach, Ryan Saunders, who was the son of Flip Saunders, the late Timberwolves coach who drafted Russell’s friend and former teammate, Karl-Anthony Towns. Russell has since become a key player for the Timberwolves, averaging 19.1 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game in his first full season with the team.