Up until draft day, the Los Angeles Lakers were believed to take Jahlil Okafor with their second overall pick. The organization and its fan base were convinced that the team desperately needed a big man, and Okafor would be their guy.  

But about eight hours before the 2015 NBA draft, the Lakers changed people’s minds and convinced the NBA world that going with a point guard would be a better option for them in the long run. The Lakers are confident that they will acquire a big man via free agency.

With all that being said, the Lakers selected Ohio State point guard D’Angelo Russell with the second pick, shocking many people and destroying the Philadelphia 76ers’ plans in the process.

Okafor may have been the next best player available, but the Lakers turned to a point guard with top-notch play making and ball handling skills.

Russell has terrific size for a guard and is very crafty. To many, he is considered the most talented player in the draft. He has a solid jump shot, great leadership skills, and shows fantastic poise and maturity.

At the end of the day this selection makes perfect sense for the Lakers since they are considered strong candidates to land one of the top big men available in the free-agent market. Evidentially, the Lakers hadn’t been linked to any of the free-agent point guards prior to the draft. Therefore taking Russell was the correct choice for them.

Additionally, the Western Conference is stacked with elite point guards, and the Lakers hope Russell could eventually play at their level. After all, the NBA has changed from a center dominant league to a point guard dominant league.

A couple weeks ago, it seemed like the Lakers were unlikely to be able to snag a big man through free agency, and Jahlil Okafor was the perfect choice for them. That all changed over the course of eight hours, and Russell turned out to be a genius pick for the Lakers. Now, they will have to make sure the available free-agent bigs are tempted enough to join the team.

With the 27th overall pick, the Lakers selected Larry Nance’s son, Larry Nance Jr. This was quite a surprising pick since Nance Jr. was considered a late second-round pick. However, the Lakers probably adored his ability to catch and shoot and ability to defend opponents in the post. Nance Jr. averaged 16.1 points and 7.2 rebounds this past season in college.

Although he may not see much action in the NBA, Nance adds more frontcourt depth. The Lakers are hoping their bold move could pay off, as they have a lot of confidence in this pick.

Lastly, in the second round, the Lakers chose a wing player who is known for his sharp shooting. This was certainly a clever move by the Lakers. If Anthony Brown could impress enough to stick on the roster, the Lakers could definitely use him.

With Nick Young injured much of last season and Wesley Johnson continued to be inconsistent offensively, Brown could become a vital component on the roster.

The summer league will tell us more about Brown and Nance’s capabilities, but the NBA world knows what D’Angelo Russell can do on the hardwood. Just the Russell pick alone gives L.A. fans a reason to be extremely excited about the upcoming season. Maybe the tide will finally turn for the Lakers.

Nonetheless, this was a very successful draft for the Los Angeles Lakers. They have once again made Los Angeles an intriguing place to play.

Final Grade: A-