SAN ANTONIO _ The news was a day late but far from a dollar short. Nets point guard D'Angelo Russell was named on Friday to the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a replacement for injured Pacers guard Victor Oladipo one day after being passed over when the reserves were announced.
The news had to be especially gratifying for Russell, who was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2015, because it comes less than two years after the Lakers traded him to the Nets as part of a deal for Brook Lopez. At the time, Lakers president Magic Johnson said Russell was not a leader who could make his teammates better.
After a slow start this season, Russell has improved dramatically since the Nets called upon him to step up his production after Caris LeVert suffered a dislocated ankle on Nov. 12. Russell has responded with career-highs in scoring (19.6) and assists (6.4) He recently earned his first career NBA player of the week honor after averaging 28.0 points and 7.0 assists when the Nets were 3-0 from Jan. 14-20.
Russell's leadership also has been evident over the past 27 games when the Nets have gone 20-7 after an 8-18 start to the season. He has scored at least 30 points in nine games this season, and he reached the 20-point mark in 12 of 15 games in January. Russell also has improved defensively, ranking fifth-best in defensive efficiency in January among the 86 players who averaged at least 30 minutes per game.
Russell is the Nets' first All-Star selection since Joe Johnson in 2014 and is their 15th all-time selection. At 22, he is the second-youngest Net ever picked for the All-Star game behind Buck Williams, who was younger when he was selected in both 1982 and 1983.
Russell was not immediately available for comment because the announcement was made after the Nets practiced in San Antonio and then boarded their charter flight for Orlando, where they meet the Magic Saturday night at Amway Center.
Prior to the Nets' loss to the Spurs Thursday night when All-Star reserves were announced, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said he believed Russell deserved selection as the replacement for Oladipo.
"He's been playing at an All-Star level," Atkinson said. "That being said, I respect the process, respect my colleagues as coaches. But from our perspective, he's been playing at an All-Star level. We'll see with the Oladipo situation if he gets a shot. It'd be great."
