2016 NBA Draft Profile: Brandon Ingram

(Artwork by Sean Curate)

On June 23, Brandon Ingram was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the second overall selection of the 2016 NBA draft.

Let's look back at Ingram's profile before he was drafted in NBA.

• Position: Small Forward
• Height/Weight: 6-9 / 190
• Birthdate: 09/02/1997
• College: Duke

• Prospect Analysis

Strengths

• 7-3 wingspan
• Great course awareness/vision
• Good passer
• Excellent 3-point shooter
• Has a turnaround jump shot
• Good midrange game
• Can create off the dribble
• Can excel in pick-and-roll situations
• Good footwork
• Stat sheet stuffer

Weaknesses

• Needs to add strength and bulk
• Could cut down on turnovers
• Has to improve free-throw percentage a bit

NBA projection: The debate among NBA Draft analysts rages on whether LSU’s Ben Simmons or Ingram will be the top pick in the draft. Adding fuel to the argument is that Ingram, who has been compared by some to Kevin Durant, is more than a year younger than Simmons.

2015-16 Season
Ingram was voted the ACC Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the USBWA freshman All-America team after helping lead the Blue Devils to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16. He was just the fourth freshman in the Mike Krzyzewski era at Duke to average at least 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, along with Luol Deng (2004), Jabari Parker (2014) and Jahlil Okafor (2015). Ingram’s eight double-doubles ranked fifth among Duke freshman all-time, and his 14 20-point games were second all-time among freshman in the program, behind only Okafor.

Key statistics: 17.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 tpg, 1.1 spg, 1.4 bpg, 34.6 mpg, .442 FG, .410 3PT, .682 FT

Cool statistic: Ingram was the only freshman in Duke history, and only the second player ever (Shane Battier was the first), to make at least 60 3-pointers (80) and block at least 40 shots (49) in the same season.

-- Profile by Chris Dortch, editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.