Second-year forward Brandon Ingram is expected to take a leadership role with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2017-18 NBA season. The Duke product showed tremendous progress to finish out his rookie campaign last season and now he'll be looked at as the focal point of the offense as well as Luke Walton's vocal leader on the floor.

Following the last practice of training camp on Friday, Walton talked a bit about what he wants from Ingram moving forward. The second-year head coach likes what he sees out of the future face of the franchise, but wants him to be more vocal on the defensive end of the basketball floor this season.

“We want him to talk more defensively,” Walton said of Ingram. “He's been vocal from a leader's standpoint as far as calling people out. Holding himself accountable, the way he's playing, but I still want to hear him talk more, possession by possession, as far as just calling out his coverages and things like that.”

Article Continues Below
More NBA News
General view of the ESPN broadcast crew during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
Fans react to ESPN’s overwhelming ‘75%’ Thunder-Pacers pickMiguel La Torre ·
Featured image Knicks
Knicks disturbed by apparent hotel prank on night before Game 6 vs. PacersDylan Fine ·
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) defends against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (right) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center.
Nick Wright drops the mic on LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry debateScotty White ·
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton shoots over Thunder's Lu Dort
Thunder’s Lu Dort gets 100% real about Tyrese Haliburton ahead of NBA Finals clashJedd Pagaduan ·
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) boxes out Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) for a free throw in the second quarter during game six of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
OG Anunoby sends 6-word message to Knicks after failed title bidRichard Pereira ·
Stephen Curry, Tom Brady, NBA logo in background, eyes symbols
Warriors’ Stephen Curry cites Tom Brady about potential post-NBA plansRichard Pereira ·

Throughout all of Lakers training camp, Walton has been emphasizing defense and need for the team to drastically improve on that end of the floor. There's no doubt the team is talented offensively with a lot of players on the squad that can score the ball, but there's few that have shown an ability to be a game changer defensively.

The addition of defensive-minded guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will definitely help in the team's efforts to improve, but Walton and company want to see Ingram others like Lonzo Ball step up in that category.

On Saturday, Walton and his coaching staff will get their first look at whether their players have truly bought in defensively. Clearly, Walton is hoping Ingram makes his teammates accountable on that end of the floor by being a vocal as possible moving forward.