Duke basketball: Brandon Ingram nominated for Most Improved Player

Former Duke basketball standout Brandon Ingram has been nominated for the Most Improved Player following his standout first season with the New Orleans Pelicans.

After being named to his first All-Star Game this season, Brandon Ingram has been nominated for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award following his first season with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Ingram was shipped from the Los Angeles Lakers to New Orleans in the blockbuster that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers last offseason, a trade that has benefitted both teams.

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Out of the spotlight of Los Angeles and LeBron James, Ingram thrived as one of the top options for the Pelicans, which also doesn’t hurt playing with four former Blue Devils in Zion Williamson, Jahlil Okafor, JJ Redick, and Frank Jackson.

Alongside Ingram as the nominees for the Most Improved Player Award are Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.

All three players were named to their first All-Star Game this season.

Doncic, the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year, averaged 21.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game as a rookie on 42.7 percent shooting from the field and 32.7 percent from 3-point range and prior to the NBA’s shutdown was averaging 29.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per contest in his second year on 46.3 percent shooting from the floor and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc.

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Adebayo, who is in this third season in the NBA, averaged just 8.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game in his second season followed by averaging 16.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks per contest this season.

As for Ingram, he posted 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 0.5 steals per game in his final season with the Lakers as that was trumped by 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in his first season in New Orleans.

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It’ll be tough competition for Brandon Ingram to take home the award as it will be announced at some point throughout the NBA Playoffs on TNT.

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