Brandon Ingram has been one of the most hyped up young players in the past decade. Coming out of college, the Duke product drew comparisons to Kevin Durant, and he had people convinced he was next up. Ingram’s talent is unquestionable, and in the past three years, he’s proved himself to be a good all-around player. However, he hasn’t lived up to the Kevin Durant comparisons. His lack of improvement from last year has left people to question Brandon Ingram’s potential, and honestly, I think it’s well deserved. Ingram was expected to be great, but I’m not sure if he’s even a top-three player on the Lakers. Of course, he’s only in his third season, and at 21 years old, he still has many years to get better. If Ingram improves, could he develop into an MVP-caliber player?
Let’s begin by diving into his game.
Strengths
One of the most promising parts of Brandon Ingram’s game is his perimeter defense. Not only does his 7’3″ wingspan allow him to control a huge space, but his lateral quickness enables him to defend the perimeter effectively, and this skill should only improve with experience.
Another strength of Brandon Ingram’s is his freak athleticism. Ingram has great footwork, and his speed is a huge help in getting to the basket. Almost 50% of his points come from within 10 feet of the hoop, which shows he doesn’t only get to the paint, but he can finish with ease. What Ingram lacks in strength, he makes up for in athleticism and fancy moves.
Shooting is another positive to Ingram’s game. Although his numbers don’t stand out among others, his ability to drain catch-and-shoot three-balls and pull-up from the arc only widens his offensive arsenal. Even though his percentage from deep has dropped by almost 7% from last year, Ingram has shown the potential to be a good shooter in the league.
Ceiling: Kawhi Leonard
Brandon Ingram and Kawhi Leonard may have more in common than you think. Both rely on their explosiveness to get to the rim, and they have very similar physiques. I seriously doubt that Ingram will ever be a DPOY, let alone win it twice like Kawhi, but Ingram appears to have the same skillset as the Klaw. Both have superb perimeter defence, and both have the length to rack up steals (although Ingram still needs to develop this skill).
Like Ingram, Kawhi didn’t look like a superstar at the beginning of his career. It wasn’t until he turned 23 that Leonard really took a big step forward in his game. If Brandon Ingram is to reach his full potential, he could be one of the top players in the league, and he’d benefit greatly from modeling his game after Kawhi Leonard’s.
Concerns
Now in his third professional year, Brandon Ingram has had a turbulent start to the season. An early-season suspension and a recent ankle injury have made it hard for Ingram to gain momentum. His stats are slightly down from last season in almost every category. Due to those drops, Ingram has gained a lot of doubt. Even though his statistical decline is minimal, it proves that the SF didn’t improve at all over the offseason.
Ingram’s game is full of areas for concern, and his lack of improvement makes me wonder if he has the drive to fix these problems. He has a large wingspan, but his steal numbers are surprisingly low at 0.7 SPG. Aside from his defensive issues, Ingram has become less efficient on offense, and his shooting percentages have dropped. He’s still an OK shooter. However, this sudden decline leaves me to wonder if it’s a sign of what’s to come.
Conclusion
The truth is, Brandon Ingram has simply failed to live up to the high expectations shoved at him coming out of college. Not to say he isn’t a good player because he is. Brandon Ingram’s potential is impossible to miss, and he has the tools to become a superstar in the league. The deciding factor will be if he has the drive to get better. His decline in productivity is worrying, but if he can get himself back on track and improve his game, there’s no question that Brandon will make many All-Star rosters, and maybe one day, will live up to his Kevin Durant comparisons.