Russell went extra mile en route to OSU
Cedric Russell is no stranger to hearing his name called inside the Cajundome. Scoring 688 of his 1,409 career points at Louisiana’s home arena, that was essentially background noise for four years.
The last time was different. On Aug. 6, Russell walked across the stage for summer commencement, officially bringing his time at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to an end.
Russell was the first on his late grandmother’s side of the family to get one.
“Rest her soul, but I know that definitely made her happy, her being able to watch over me and watch me walk across that stage,” Russell said. “It brought peace to her..”
And yet, it nearly didn’t come to pass for Russell, whose path to Ohio State
has been anything but straightforward.
Taking a shot at the pros
After what had been his most successful collegiate season, Russell sat down with Louisiana coach Bob Marlin to discuss what would come next. With the extra year of eligibility afforded to all players due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russell was staring down a chance to cement himself as an all-time great for the program. With nine more games and six more three-pointers, he would be the school’s all-time leader in both categories.
But with a growing family, Russell, who’s whose oldest son was born while he was a senior in high school, began to explore the idea of turning pro.
“Initially he was looking to try to get a tryout with an NBA team or to go overseas and play,” Marlin said. “From our research, the overseas market wasn’t quite good enough to make that leap.”
Deciding against turning pro would be only a temporary reprieve for Marlin’s program. On May 20, word got out that Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann was hiring assistant coach Tony Skinn from Seton Hall to complete his coaching staff. Formerly of Louisiana Tech, Skinn had recruited Russell out of high school and then coached against him in college.
As a result, a little more than a month later, on June 30, Russell asked if he could meet with Marlin. It was the day before the deadline for players to enter the transfer portal and retain their immediate eligibility for the upcoming season.
“We sat and talked from 8:45 until 11 o’clock, and he had trouble talking to me,” Marlin said. “He was crying, he was emotional, and as usual I tried to play dad, put my arm around him and see what he was thinking.”
Ultimately, the chance to play for the Buckeyes would win out. Russell assured Marlin that he was making the decision for himself, not for an agent or outside influence, and a little more than a week later, his commitment to Ohio State was official.
“That was the biggest thing, making sure I didn’t burn any bridges here because they really took care of me these last four years,” Russell said. “Finishing up here (at Louisiana) and making sure I exited the right way and come up there ready to work.”
It was tough for Marlin to lose a player he was so close with, but the veteran coach said he appreciated how Russell handled his exit.
Up against the deadline
Suddenly, it was July, and Russell was aiming to finish off a diploma in sports management in little more than a month. In addition to an internship that had him working with a local high school coach, Russell had three July classes, all of which required plenty of paperwork.
Commencement was on a Friday. He turned in his final assignments Wednesday night.
“It was super, super crazy,” Russell said.
The frenetic final days kept Russell from properly inviting everyone in his family, but his mom, sisters, auntie and cousins were there. So was C.J., his 4-year-old son.
“I still feel like I haven’t accomplished enough yet,” Russell said. “It’s like, ‘OK, what’s next? Let’s knock something else out.’ My words to my son is never get complacent with anything. You can control what’s in your head and your knowledge, and that’s your power.”
Russell’s father wasn’t around for much of his life. By getting his college degree while also being a hands-on father, Russell has twice broken the mold. Marlin used the same word numerous times when discussing his now-former player: maturity.
Russell will vie for a role in a wideopen Buckeyes backcourt. At Louisiana, he was guaranteed to be the guy taking most of the shots, the one with the full trust of his longtime coach.
Now he’s starting over and betting on himself like he always has.
“One thing I learned at an early age, and my mom really instilled in me, is pain is temporary,” he said. “It don’t last, and if it don’t kill you, it definitely makes you stronger. That’s my mindset with a lot of things.” ajardy@dispatch.com @Adamjardy