Watch D'Angelo Russell validate the Lakers' faith in him

When Ohio State superstar D'Angelo Russell went second overall in last month's NBA Draft, many were shocked. The conventional wisdom had been that if Duke standout Jahlil Okafor wasn't the best player in the draft, he was at minimum the de facto number two guy.

But Russell's star qualities got the eyes of Lakers brass, who saw not just a valuable asset in the flex guard, but someone whose ceiling might ultimately mean he could step into legend Kobe Bryant's incredibly big shoes.

With the NBA's Vegas Summer League in full swing, Los Angeles basketball fans, Buckeyes, and the NBA community at large are getting their first real taste of Russell at the next level. And boy oh boy did he not disappoint.

His first professional points could have just as easily come in Value City Arena based on the aesthetic:

And just minutes later, he threaded the needle in another move not unfamiliar to Buckeye hoops heads:

Late in the contest, for good measure, Russell showcased his superhuman passing once again:

It's no wonder so many think this kid is going to be really, really special.