When thinking of iconic Brooklyn Nets players, a few come to mind, such as Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, and maybe even Julius Erving. However, D'Angelo Russell was a Nets star that often slips people's minds. While he might not have led the Nets to a championship or even a deep playoff run, his stint with Brooklyn was memorable, to say the least.
Russell came into the league with high expectations, being selected as the number two overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2015. The 6'5" guard averaged 19.3 points 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game in his one season with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Aside from just filling up the stat sheet, he shot very efficiently from beyond the arc at 41.1%.
Russell showed a lot of promise in his rookie season, where he averaged 13.2 points per game and finished ninth in Rookie of the Year voting. Russell followed that season by averaging 15.6 points per game and also started showing signs of being able to facilitate the ball, averaging 4.8 assists.
The trade that changed everything
In 2017, the Lakers pulled off a blockbuster trade that sent D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Nets for Brook Lopez and the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. This was the true kickstart to the sharpshooting lefty's career.
While the 2017-18 season wasn't the most successful for the Nets. It was the start of one of the most fun and exciting teams in basketball. The team had players such as Caris Levert, Jarrett Allen, sharpshooter Joe Harris, and Spencer Dinwiddie. Expectations were not very high after the team finished 12th in the Eastern Conference, but the 2018-19 season was a different story.
This was Russell's breakout season. Averaging 21.1 points along with 7.2 assists per game, the former second-round pick was selected to the All-Star Game and finished second in Most Improved Player voting. On January 21, 2019, Russell was named the Player of the Week, averaging 28 points per game in a three-game win-stretch.
On March 19, 2019, the Nets completed what is tied for the greatest comeback in franchise history with their 28-point rally against the Sacramento Kings. Despite being down 25 points in the 4th quarter, the team showed resilience and battled back. Led by Russell with 27 points in the quarter, the Nets outscored the Kings 48-18. Russell was not shy about letting everyone know that he was made for such moments.
"I'm built for this s***!" Russell exclaimed after the Nets' 128-125 victory.
Russell and the Nets later made their first playoff appearance since 2015. They took Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers on the road, where Russell had 26 points. However, that would be as far as they would go, dropping the next four games.
That marked the end of Russell's road with the Nets, as he then signed with the Golden State Warriors the following year.
Russell was a fan favorite during his short time playing for the Nets. From celebrating with his teammates on the bench, to shooting game winners, he put on a show for his two seasons in the borough and will always hold a special place in Nets fans' hearts.