With the No. 2 overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Lakers selected Brandon Ingram, with the hope that he can one day turn into the next two-way, franchise player that his 6’9’’ frame and motley crew of basketball skills suggest he can grow into.
The Kinston, N.C. native who just turned 19 in September is 20-odd games into his career. While he’s struggled with his efficiency on offense, as many rookies do, he’s more than made up for it with his varied contributions on defense. Ingram has played well enough enough to earn 26.5 minutes per game on the floor for Luke Walton as a key part of one of the NBA’s best bench units.