As they say, patience is key. You don’t have to get ready you have to stay ready. That is the case for first-time All-Star Brandon Ingram. After three years of showing improvement, he still wasn’t good enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to think they needed to keep him. Instead, he was traded away to get the coveted Anthony Davis. He took the opportunity as a way to get better. He didn’t take it as a bad thing that the team that drafted him didn’t want him anymore. Ingram has finally molded into the player that was drafted second overall in the 2016 NBA draft. The comparisons to Kevin Durant look legitimate now.
He and Durant have similar bodies. They are both tall and lanky with long arms. Both players are matchup nightmares because of their height and ability to shoot it anywhere on the court. Ingram had to endure tough times with the Lakers. Even now the New Orleans Pelicans are not a playoff team but Ingram has been able to defy all odds and become an All-Star caliber player.
Brandon Ingram’s All-Star Ascension has Defied the Odds
Brandon Ingram’s Improved Game
Ingram’s first season in the league had to be a humbling experience. He only averaged 9.4 points per game and as the second overall pick, he only started 40 games. This was after averaging 17.3 points per game at Duke the year before. At Duke, he was the ACC Rookie of the Year and it looked like his future was bright. After his rookie year in the NBA, he drastically improved to averaging 16.1 points per game in his second year. Then in his third year, he was able to improve even more and averaged 18.3 points per game.
In his fourth year though after being traded to the Pelicans and having his role increased he has been able to flourish. He is averaging 24.9 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game which are both career highs. He is doing all this and shooting efficiently. He shoots 47.3 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from the three-point line. Ingram has shown when given the green light he will be able to produce.
Trending in the Right Direction
Brandon Ingram has ascended from a complimentary piece to becoming an All-Star. These great things that he has accomplished this season are what everybody has envisioned from him when he started his professional career. Now that he is an All-Star what is next? In a talent-packed Western Conference, he will have to shoot for being an All-Star year in and year out. Also, he will have to get better on the other side of the ball. This season he has a career-high in steals per game with 1.0 per game.
He has the intangibles to be a great defender on the perimeter with his long arms. As he gets more experience he will improve on defense. He has to lead the team to the playoffs. Team success is crucial to his development. With Zion Williamson improving every game this team will be a playoff team soon. The New Orleans Pelicans are a young and exciting team and Brandon Ingram is a big part of it. The future is bright for Ingram.
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