NBA

D'Angelo Russell Makes NBA All-Rookie 2nd Team

NBA announced it's All-Rookie teams on Thursday, and Lakers rookie D'Angelo Russell made the Second Team

For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Lakers have a rookie that received All-Rookie honors from the NBA.

On Thursday, the NBA named Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, who was picked no. 2 in the 2015 NBA Draft, on the All-Rookie Second Team. Russell received 25 First Team votes, which ranked ninth, but the 20-year-old received more Second Team votes than any other rookie. And so, Russell finished with 142 total points, which ranked him seventh in points.

Russell averaged 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 28.2 minutes per game during his rookie season. However, the former Ohio State Buckeye had a stretch of 16 games from the start of February to the middle of March where he averaged 18.3 points, 4.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds and looked like he would finish the season challenging Karl-Anthony Towns for Rookie of the Year. Town, incidentally, earned a unanimous All-Rookie First Team selection.

Unfortunately, Russell never quite found his rhythm following that stretch, save for a 32-point April performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. Also, offcourt issues involving a video recording of teammate Nick Young did not appear to do the kid any favors.

The All-Rookie Second Team selection, though, hardly pegs the dynamic Lakers' rookie for failure. Russell is the fourth Laker to get All-Rookie Second Team honors, along with Travis Knight, Nick Van Exel and Kobe Bryant.

The last name on that list turned out alright, right?

Notes: Larry Nance Jr. received three Second Team votes and Marcelo Huertas received one Second Team vote. Jordan Clarkson was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team for the 2014-15 season.

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