CLEVELAND – D’Angelo Russell only spent one season in Columbus, but he developed undeniably strong bonds with Thad Matta and the rest of Ohio State’s coaching staff.
So when Gene Smith opted to let go of Matta following the 2016-17 season, Russell said he saw “no point” to visit Columbus since both his former head coach and almost all his former teammates were no longer on the team.
“Them firing him or whatever you want to call it, I don't think I'll ever go back now,” Russell said on Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast on July 26, 2017.