The Los Angeles Lakers went with the consensus and selected Brandon Ingram with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. Ingram was widely considered to be one of the top players in the draft, along with LSU’s Ben Simmons, and is someone that the Lakers are thrilled to add to their team.
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, who called in the selection to the league, mentioned that several teams had called the Lakers about trading the second pick.
However, Ingram’s potential was simply too much to pass up on. After the pick was made official, Kupchak had high praise for the newest Laker, via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Kupchak on one thing that stood out w/ Ingram:
“If I had to pick one thing it would be potential. Right now there is no ceiling on him.”
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) June 24, 2016
With his 6’9″ height, a 7’3″ wingspan, and a smooth outside shot, Kupchak is absolutely right about Ingram’s potential. Some have gone as far as to compare him to Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and while that may be setting the bar too high, there is no question that there are some similarities between the two.
Ingram should be an excellent fit in coach Luke Walton’s offense, with his shooting ability allowing him to stretch the floor and create space for Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell, and Jordan Clarkson to drive to the rim. Additionally, Ingram’s length gives him the potential to be a plus defender, as he can use his oversized limbs to disrupt passing lanes and block shots from the weak side.
While he has to put on weight (he only weighs 195 pounds), Ingram appears to have a good head on his shoulder and be ready to put in the work in order to find success as a professional.