The Case for D'Angelo Russell as a Top-3 NBA Draft Pick in the 2015 Class

Armed with slick passing skills and a deadly outside jumper, Ohio State freshman D'Angelo Russell has taken over the Big Ten and put NBA draft scouts and executives on notice. 

He began the season outside of the high-lottery conversation, but now he's firmly in the mix. His playmaking prowess started turning heads in December, and his production has increasingly impressed me throughout the winter.

In some circles, the 6'5" combo guard is now considered a top-three pick. Russell is mentioned up there with the likes of Jahlil Okafor, Karl-Anthony Towns and Emmanuel Mudiay as a cream-of-the-crop prospect.

What exactly makes him such a highly coveted asset? What separates him from the rest of the field and catapults him into this elite group of performers?

Enticing Physical Tools: Size and Agility

Point guards and playmakers who are tall and rangy are attractive commodities in the NBA. Russell stacks up quite well, measuring a legitimate 6'5" with a 6'8.5" wingspan.

That means he can score and pass against shooting guards when he needs to, and he's got ample length to defend both backcourt positions. Little tasks like pressuring entry passes and making clean plays over the defense are that much easier when you're his size.

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Russell's defense hasn't been consistent this season; we've seen him make some freshman mistakes and have occasional lapses in intensity. However, when he applies himself, his ability to cover ground allows him to stay in front of opponents and grab 1.6 steals per game.

When you combine his measurements with foot speed and agility, he's a dangerous specimen. Russell doesn't have ridiculous explosiveness, but his agility and body control in game situations are outstanding compared to other college guards.

Playmaking Prowess

Those physical tools are nice, but they're not enough by themselves to warrant top-three consideration. Russell's offensive skill set, including his creativity and command as Ohio State's point guard, is a huge selling point.

Considering he's a freshman, his control and feel for the game are marvelous.

"Leadership is something you can’t teach. I feel like I’ve been blessed to have that trait," Russell told Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News.

He sees plays develop a few ticks before everyone else does. It helps put his teammates in great position to score, and it also enables him to break down opponents and find his own buckets.

"He's showing great poise in terms of his pace, in terms of how he reads things," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta told reporters (per Mansfield News Journal). "He gets an outlet pass, and he immediately scans options...He's playing better and better every time he takes the floor."

Russell's shiftiness and ball-handling mastery make plays like this look easy:

His anticipation and accuracy as a passer are miles beyond most collegiate point guards. If you haven't seen this dime against Northwestern, enjoy:

As we mentioned before, he can create for himself as well.

When the team's set breaks down and the Buckeyes need a basket, he's devastating in isolation. According to hoop-math.com, 70 percent of Russell's field-goal attempts at the rim are unassisted, and he converts 65 percent of those tries.

Here he shakes past the first Purdue defender and finishes strong over the helper:

His passing numbers aren't mind-boggling (6.4 assists per 40 minutes), but he's consistently churning out offense for Ohio State. When he adds 22.9 points per 40 minutes to his facilitating skills, it's easy to see why he's a tempting offensive option for NBA suitors.

Russell's dual-threat playmaking is a big reason why he rose to the top of ESPN's Kevin Pelton's stat-based draft Big Board in early February; he had the highest WARP (wins above replacement player) of any prospect (3.3).

Pelton suggested Russell's collegiate value at such a young age launches him into the mix for No. 1 overall:

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He's surpassed Okafor as the most valuable freshman in the NCAA, and is actually threatening senior guards Jerian Grant and Delon Wright to become the most valuable player overall by my metrics. When you do that before your 19th birthday -- Russell won't blow out the candles for another three weeks -- you absolutely have to be in the mix for the top pick, in my opinion.

"

There are some blemishes in his floor general work, because he's occasionally careless with the ball and turns it over 3.4 times per 40 minutes. But those are deficiencies that will be polished in time, and they are dwarfed by his alluring talent and upside.

Long-Range Shooting

Here's where Russell really separates himself from the rest of the point guard pack and most of the other top prospects.

He can shoot the rock with fluidity and accuracy from all over the place, whether it's a pull-up three-pointer or a step-back, mid-range jumper. Russell is hitting 40 percent of his two-point jump shots (per hoop-math.com) and 42 percent of his triples.

Russell's rhythm, shot preparation and quick delivery look effortless:

That three-point efficiency is particularly impressive when you consider the volume. He's third in the Big Ten in attempts, and nearly half of those attempts are unassisted. Russell is adept at pushing the ball, finding the soft spots in the opponent's transition defense and firing away.

The rest of the playmakers in the draft aren't at his level when it comes to long-range accuracy. They're listed here in order of three-point shooting percentage:

	Pts	FG%	Ast	3PA	3PM	3FG%
D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State)	22.9	.461	6.4	7.7	3.2	.424
Tyus Jones (Duke)	13.9	.422	6.9	3.9	1.5	.383
Emmanuel Mudiay (China)	22.9	.478	7.5	4.0	1.4	.342
Jerian Grant (Notre Dame)	18.6	.495	7.3	4.9	1.6	.336
Kris Dunn (Providence)	18.0	.482	8.9	2.7	0.9	.333
Delon Wright (Utah)	17.6	.517	6.6	2.6	0.8	.322

In a league where long-distance efficiency is cherished more than almost anything else, Russell is way ahead of the curve compared to the rest of the floor general prospects in the field.

The total package—size, playmaking and elite shooting—is something that no guard but Russell can claim. This conglomerate of traits is what raises him above the mid-first-round prospects and even gives him an edge over fellow top-five prospect Emmanuel Mudiay, whose shooting mechanics and percentages aren't up to Russell's standard.

If he keeps up this type of brilliance, expect his name to be called by at least No. 3 on draft night, if not higher.

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all stats come from Sports-Reference.com/CBB and are current entering March 4.

Follow Dan O'Brien on Twitter for more NBA draft coverage: @DanielO_BR