 |
| Ingram (Photo: Trevor Andershock) |
Duke’s Brandon Ingram will either be the first or second pick in the 2016 NBA Draft on June 23. Here’s a look at Trevor Andershock’s scouting report on Brandon Ingram heading into the draft.
Strengths
· Physical Tools
o 6’8” without shoes, 6’10” with shoes
o 7’3” wingspan
o 18 years old until September
· Shooting
o Quick release, limited motion
o Gets his feet set before catch
o Limited knee bend which makes him more consistent
o Misses are always on-line
o A bit worried his shot is a little flat & might take time to adjust to NBA 3.
· Mid-Post Game
o Jabs to get defender off balance
o Height allows him to shoot over most defenders
o Handles the ball well in traffic
Weaknesses
· Finishing in Traffic
o Doesn’t do a good job of finishing over the top of defenders
o Doesn’t have a float game right now
· Creating Space Off Drive
o Jabs well but only one speed on his drives
o Only a straight line driver with a possible spin move
o Part of the reason why he doesn’t finish that well is because he isn’t blowing by his primary defender
· Rarely Came Off Screens
o Played as a stretch 4 most of his year at Duke
o Didn’t come off screens for outside shots
o Never was the ball screen ball-handler
· Defensive Ability
o High hips, he doesn’t change direction really well
o Long strides, not fast twitch feet
o Gets caught on a lot of screens
It’s hard not to be optimistic about Brandon Ingram. He’s a very young player as he doesn’t turn 19 until September of 2016. Ingram posted great numbers as a freshman at Duke while playing an extremely tough schedule. Then he has physical tools that make NBA personnel salivate.
Stats
Ingram averaged 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game as a freshman. In per 40 minutes played, those numbers equate to 20 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks.
His advanced stats weren’t eye-popping. He had a true shooting percentage of .552, which is average. His rebounding numbers were below par considering how much time he spent as a power forward in Duke’s lineup. He had an offensive rebounding rate of 6% and a defensive rebounding rate of 15.5%. Those are not very good for stretch four.
The best statistic that Ingram has going for him is his 41% from three-point range. He shot 42% from three in ACC play. His shooting ability is a major selling point for his future success in the NBA.
Weaknesses/Concerns
Brandon Ingram is a good athlete. He jumps well. He has long strides that allow him to cover ground in an efficient manner. Ingram doesn’t have an explosive first step. He rarely goes by defenders off the dribble using his quickness. In fact, he rarely got by defenders off the dribble at all during his freshman season at Duke.
Ingram does a good job of using jab steps to get defenders off balance especially in the mid-range. He is a straight line driver, though. He doesn’t use change of direction or change of pace to create space against defenders. That means that his shots around the basket are often contested. At the collegiate level, Ingram had the athleticism/size/length to finish over the top of defenders. Overall, he struggled to finish around the basket, though. It will be even more difficult at the NBA level where the players are bigger, faster and stronger. That is a major concern going forward.
He can offset that problem if he continues to be a 38% or better shooter from three-point range in the NBA. Defenders would need to take away his space on the catch which would allow Ingram a chance to drive by opponents.
My other major concern about Ingram is his defensive ability. At Duke he primarily guarded power forwards. His length gave him the ability to challenge most forwards in the post although he gave up a lot of weight. Ingram will need to add a bunch of muscle in order to guard NBA post players.
I’m not sold on his defensive ability on the perimeter either. His long legs actually hurt him when trying to guard quick wings. He has problems changing direction quickly. As noted before, Ingram is a long strider, not a fast-twitch athlete. That comes into play on his close outs against wings. He is often out of position when closing out.
Summary
Brandon Ingram is a tremendous prospect. His ceiling is very high with his size and shooting ability. His floor is a little worrisome for a top two pick. Ingram’s shooting is the biggest key to his success. If he knocks down three-pointers at a high rate, Brandon Ingram will be a star.
No comments:
Post a Comment