According to the ESPN, the L.A. Lakers are adamant on using their no. 2 pick in the current draft to recruit Brandon Ingram. After the 76ers chose Australian big man Simmons with the top pick, the Lakers eagerly grabbed Ingram as they rebuild from Kobe Bryant’s retirement and the worst season in franchise history (17-65). It really can’t. After four consecutive state titles at Kinston (N.C.) High School, it was a Sweet 16 finish as an All-American at Duke (He averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds a game). Ingram’s 3-point shooting will certainly be welcomed by the Lakers, since they were dead last in the National Basketball Association in that category last season.
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Ingram joins D’Angelo Russell – last year’s No. 2 overall pick – along with Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. on an intriguing roster assembled by Kupchak, who hopes he has built the foundations of the Lakers’ next powerful team.
Ingram should be a good fit for the up-tempo system Walton said he planned to implement in Los Angeles, which is something Ingram said he looks forward to. “. I’m going to definitely take this ride and work the hardest I can to be the best player I can be”. Iverson was the last first overall draft pick for the 76ers when the team selected him in 1996. That’s something that translates right away and I think you, obviously get respect from the veterans from your work ethic, but once you show that-being able to talk with hunger.
The transitioning of the Lakers according to Walton’s goals won’t be easy but Brandon says, “I know they’re in a rebuilding stage”. “He’s young. He’ll naturally get stronger”. “Talking to some of the coaches that were here when he came and did his workout, even though he’s skinny, he had strength to him in the individual workout that he did”.
Defensively, Luke Walton compares Brandon to Draymond Green, and attributes his defensive style as highly instinctive, which is a manifestation to his level of intelligence.
“We’re ecstatic to have him”, Kupchak said.
Ingram became the third Blue Devil in the past three years – and the fourth in the last six – to hear their named among the first three called on draft night.
BrandonHahaha. For me, I think, of course, sleep, because it’s what I do most of my day when I’m not playing basketball.
Mitch Kupchak says “we have more to sell” in free agency: The Lakers’ 16 National Basketball Association championship trophies, the sunny skies and proximity to Hollywood once represented the only visual selling points they needed to land their next star. However, Ingram is widely considered as the top second choice in the draft right now, right behind Ben Simmons, and is highly praised for his shooting skills and the ability to defend multiple positions.
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We will have to wait several seasons to see if Simmons or Ingram ends up as the better player.
