Magic Johnson Says Lakers Will Look To Brandon Ingram For Leadership

Trevor Lane
2 Min Read
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers have a roster stocked with young talent, but that doesn’t always equate to a successful rebuild. Youth alone won’t be enough; they need players in the fold who can help facilitate the winning culture that head coach Luke Walton is trying to create. While it’s not an easy task, Magic Johnson believes that Brandon Ingram is someone who can help in that regard.

Ingram is soft-spoken, but Johnson sees leadership qualities in him that he didn’t see in the recently exiled D’Angelo Russell. As the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Ingram struggled at times last season, but Johnson is impressed by his talent and improvement. He spoke to Spectrum SportsNet about why he’s so enamored with the lanky forward:

“Then you take into account, Brandon Ingram. He’s gotten better and better. He’s really like the guy we’re going to look to, to lead us offensively and defensively. He’s a talent that you don’t find too many times. He’s long. He’s athletic. He can do a lot of different things. He can play point guard, and so when you think about a face of an organization along with all the other faces he’s the one that really stands out.”

Ingram certainly turned heads towards the end of last season. It took some time to adjust to the NBA game, but he spent the final few weeks proving that he had made major strides, including attacking the rim for a few thunderous dunks.

The hope is that as Ingam becomes more comfortable in the NBA, his incredible 7’3″ wingspan will allow him to be a major factor on both ends of the floor. Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka has been adament about finding athletes that can play positionless basketball, and Ingram certainly fits that mold thanks to his versatility.

Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com
Exit mobile version