Duke basketball: Ranking all 27 Blue Devils in the NBA this season
By Matt Giles
Ranking Duke basketball’s NBA players this season: No. 4 Brandon Ingram
- Age: 23
- Current team: New Orleans Pelicans (28-35)
- Games played this season: 58
- Games started: 58
- Season averages: 24.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.6 blocks
- Shooting percentages: 47.2 from the field, 38.2 beyond the arc, 88.5 from the foul line
Some might say the most impressive aspect of Brandon Ingram’s game is its steady improvement from one year to the next. Consider that the former No. 2 overall draft pick from 2016 averaged only 9.4 points as a rookie with the Los Angeles Lakers and didn’t put up more than 20 points per game until joining the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019.
On the other hand, the 2015-16 Duke basketball one-and-done still has his fair share of shortcomings, particularly on the defensive end. And while his 3-point percentage is solid, it hasn’t surpassed 40 percent across his five seasons in the NBA; however, his strides at the charity stripe are simply off the charts (from 62.1 percent as a rookie to 88.5 percent this go-round).
Plus, taking into account the fact that New Orleans is sitting No. 11 in the Western Conference standings at the moment, Ingram’s overall production level would need to be considerably higher before entering the top three here…