OTD 2016: D'Angelo Russell Hit Summer League GW

The No.2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft D’Angelo Russell drained the buzzer-beating GW-FG for the #Lakers summer league win over Philly on July 9, 2016
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— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) July 9, 2021

D’Angelo Russell was drafted second overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by a Los Angeles Lakers team going through one of the toughest stretches in its history. Coming off a dismal 21-61 season, they were preparing for their next era as superstar Kobe Bryant, who was heavily hampered by a 2013 Achilles injury, entered his final season. Russell was marked as the point guard of the future. His rookie season saw reasonable success, earning him All-Rookie Second Team honors.

Despite that, the Lakers finished at the bottom of the West with a 17-65 record. That offseason, Russell participated in the NBA Summer League. While there, he put up an impressive stat-line of 21.8 PPG, 3.7 AST, and 5.7 RPG, and knocked down a game-winning three at the buzzer against the Philadelphia 76ers on July 9th that birthed his ‘Ice in my veins’ celebration that has become very popular. He improved his play over the next season but was traded to the Brooklyn Nets after causing a controversy in the Lakers’ locker room.