The versatile 6-foot-5 guard averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game for the Buckeyes this past season while landing first-team All-American and Big Ten freshman of the year honors. Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell became the latest freshman to join the one-and-dones since the season ended when he declared for the NBA Draft on Wednesday.
The versatile 6-foot-5 guard averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game for the Buckeyes this past season while landing first-team All-American and Big Ten freshman of the year honors.
The final game of his college career was a loss to Arizona in the NCAA round of 32 in March. Russell made just 3 of 19 shots from the field against the Wildcats and finished with nine points.
Despite Russell’s disappointing ending in college, NBA draft projections put him in the top five overall picks.
“This was a hard decision because I knew I could come back and play with my teammates who I love and to be coached by Coach Thad Matta again would have been awesome, but at the same time I wanted to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA,” Russell said, according to ESPN.com. “I know what I am capable of and the sky’s the limit with effort. I know I have a lot to work on.”
