Peers give D’Angelo Russell 9.7% chance of winning rookie of the year
D’Angelo Russell gestures to the sky after being selected by the Lakers with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft at Barclays Center in Brookyln, N.Y.
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has a 9.7% change of winning rookie of the year for the 2015-16 season, according to the NBA’s annual rookie survey
A total of 36 rookies answered eight questions, with the caveat that they couldn’t vote for their NBA or college teammates, or themselves.
Russell, the second overall pick in June’s draft, tied for fourth with Emmanuel Mudiay of the Denver Nuggets. Jahlil Okafor, taken third by the Philadelphia 76ers, was named most likely to win the award with 41.9% of the voting.
Stanley Johnson, taken eighth by the Detroit Pistons, came in second (19.4%), followed by Karl-Anthony Towns, the top overall pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves, with 12.9%.
While Russell received votes under the question, “Which rookie will have the best career?” -- he didn’t place in the top six. Okafor once again came in first with 24.1% of the vote.
Russell was chosen as the best playmaker of the draft with 40% of the votes. He also came in as the third funniest rookie (5.7%).
Anthony Brown, the Lakers’ 34th overall selection, tied for fourth as the draft’s best shooter with 5.9% of the vote (with the Orlando Magic’s Mario Hezonja, taken fifth) and also received votes for biggest steal of the draft and best defender.
Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
All things Lakers, all the time.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Dan Woike's weekly newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
