A comparison that has been consistently thrown around by those assessing Brandon Ingram over the last couple of years has been to Kevin Durant.
These comparisons were always going to be made, as Ingram was drafted into the NBA by the Los Angeles Lakers as a diverse scorer playing in the same position as Durant with a similar slender physique and a deadly outside shot.
Due to his lack of strength displayed in the 2007 NBA draft combine, Durant had plenty of naysayers that suggested he might not be able to handle the league’s physicality. They were obviously very wrong. Similar comments have been made about Ingram, but many have learned their lesson from counting Durant out.
While Durant still appears slim in comparison to others, he has added muscle during his time in the league. In certain situations, his build makes it easier for him to find his way to the basket, rendering it an advantage.
Ingram has had an inconsistent Summer League over the last couple of weeks. He has shown flashes of what the Lakers saw when they picked him with the number two pick in the draft, but has also shown a tendency to become a passenger on the court at times.
Summer League is not a true reflection of the standard of play in the NBA, so Ingram’s next challenge will have much more to do with his preparation. The Duke standout has been selected as a member of the U.S. Men’s Select Team that will get the chance to scrimmage against the U.S. Men’s Olympic team before they make their way to Brazil for the Olympic Games.
The forward will be given the chance to compete against Jimmy Butler, Carmelo Anthony, and Draymond Green during scrimmages that have historically become quite competitive. If there is one player that Ingram will be seeking out for advice though, it is naturally Kevin Durant.
Per Mark Medina of the Orange County Register, the 18-year old believes he can learn a lot from the recently signed Golden State Warriors star:
“Learning from him, he scores the ball so well,” Ingram said. “On the defensive end, he uses his length and blocks shots. I think going through this process, I want to learn from eventually all these guys.”
Addressing the questions over his skinny build, Ingram feels as though Durant has proven how unimportant that can be.
“What I learned the most is, it’s not about the body type. It’s about your skill level and what you can do on the basketball court. If you can score the ball, I think everything becomes a lot easier for you.”
When looking for a player to influence your game in the NBA, you can do much worse than paying attention to the four-time scoring champion, Kevin Durant.
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