NEW YORK — Nineteen NBA draft prospects gathered at the Westin Times Square on Wednesday to talk to members of the media one last time before Thursday's NBA draft.
Point guard D'Angelo Russell was very matter-of-fact when asked if he has a gut feeling on which team will select him.
"Not at all," he said. "There is so much media around. People are putting out crazy tweets and crazy comments."
Still, it was interesting to hear Russell's response when asked specifically about his feelings if he becomes a Sixer.
"It would be great," he said. "At a young age I always felt I would play for an NBA team, but I never put a name on who I wanted to play for. I have come to this point in my career where I still feel the same way. Any team I am on, it is a blessing."
It was a thoughtful answer, but compare those words to Russell's thoughts on playing for the New York Knicks alongside Carmelo Anthony.
"He is a great player," Russell said. "He is a superstar. I would go under his wing and learn the most I can from him to better myself. I know there will be a transition the first year, but getting all the knowledge I could from him would be the best."
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Russell admitted he knew very little about the triangle offense, but he is a willing learner and has already done a little studying.
"I don't know enough to speak really about it," the 6-foot-5 point guard said of the Knicks' offense. "But I did sit on a small film session with Phil Jackson — that was something."
The Knicks have the No. 4 overall pick. Russell worked out for both the Sixers and Knicks. Again, he revealed little when asked how both experiences compared.
"I thought all my workouts were good," he said. "I can't really separate one from another because they all went well to me."
If the Sixers take Russell, he knows what his best attribute is that he will bring to the team.
"Just being a heady player," he said. "I want to be the smartest player on the court at all times."
Russell sounds like a perfect fit to run Brett Brown's squad, but what if the Lakers feel he would be that perfect guy for them? Assuming Karl-Anthony Towns goes No. 1 overall, Jahlil Okafor would then be available when the Sixers are on the clock with the third pick.
The former Duke standout center did not work out for the Sixers. He only worked out for the Timberwolves and the Lakers. The Sixers have two promising centers in Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. After being projected No. 1 or No. 2 for the past couple months, Okafor slipping to No. 3 would be a surprise.
Or not?
"I prepare for the worst, which still isn't that bad," Okafor said. "I will still be a top-five pick and living out my dream."