Ohio State went to West Virginia for a preseason scrimmage last October. The Buckeyes brought D’Angelo Russell, a promising freshman point guard.
West Virginia believed in telemarketer-style pressure defense. Consistent, annoying and unrelenting. That pressure would put the Mountaineers in the Final 16 of the NCAA tournament. On this day, Russell turned it into a buffet, attacking it with 33 points and eight assists.
Buckeyes assistant coach Jeff Boals had two thoughts.
One was that Russell would have a terrific season for Ohio State. The other was that it would be his only one.
He was right both times, and now Russell is the right horn of a two-pronged dilemma for the Lakers.