Former Blue Devil Ready to Shed Early Label as NBA Draft Bust
By Chris Brown
Former NCAA All-American and No. 2 NBA Draft pick Brandon Ingram is looking to improve and play up to his potential in the second half of his rookie season.
Brandon Ingram entered the NBA with very high expectations as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft. Unfortunately, things have not worked very well for the former Duke forward so far in his rookie season as he adjusts to the NBA. Ingram has shown improvement in his last few outings with the Lakers, and is ready to remove thoughts of him being a bust.
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As the youngest player in his draft class, Brandon Ingram got off to a slow start with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was forced into an eating plan to help him gain weight and was benched by the Lakers before the season even began. He has failed to live up to expectations averaging only 8.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 37.1% from the field. Despite his struggles, Ingram still leads all rookies in minutes per game and is in the Top 10 for rookie rebounding, points, and assists. Averaging 27.6 minutes per game, Lakers head coach had this to say about Ingram’s playing time:
"“We’re big fans of what he can do on the basketball court. Whether he’s shooting 1-of-8 or scoring 17 points, we keep leaving him out there because we know what he’s capable of.”"
Ingram is starting to become more comfortable in the NBA, displaying his versatility and becoming more aggressive for the Lakers. He is averaging around 15 points and shooting 62.5% in the last three games, including tying a career-high 17 against the Orlando Magic last Sunday. Additionally, he was one point and one assist shy of becoming the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double, a goal that Ingram still working accomplishing this season.
Brandon Ingram starred during his lone season at Duke as an All-American and earning the 2016 ACC Freshman of the Year award. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while playing out of position for a majority of the season due to Amile Jefferson’s fractured foot.
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Brandon Ingram has already fallen behind in the NBA Rookie of the Year race, led by former Kansas Jayhawk and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Ingram still has an opportunity to prove he belongs in the NBA and can be a star in the league. He will be back in action with the Lakers tomorrow night at 8:30 on the road in San Antonio.