The bright lights of Los Angeles can be quite distracting for most, especially for an 18-year-old coming off one-year of college.
That was certainly the case for New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, who has emerged as a bonafide star since being traded by the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the massive Anthony Davis swap over the summer.
Two-time NBA All-Star Jerry Stackhouse, who became Ingram’s mentor after taking him under his wing since high school, recently talked about how being in a smaller market was better for Brandon’s development.
“Honestly, I never wanted him to be in L.A.,” Jerry Stackhouse said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
“I think he was excited about it, so I became excited about it. Just with all of the distractions for a young player. He was only 18, 19 at that time. Going into a big city like that. A lot of other young players. From being around the game so long, it was a recipe for not having the development that’s needed or you ideally would want from him.”
After a one-and-done collegiate career at Duke, Ingram was selected second overall by the Lakers in the 2016 Draft. The 6-foot-7 swingman had his moments during his three seasons in LA, but he never really lived up to the weight of expectations bestowed upon him.
Ingram averaged 18.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in his final year in Los Angeles. He needed the ball in his hands to be most effective — which became a problem once LeBron James took over last year.
Now with the Pelicans, Ingram has been given free reign and rewarded coach Alvin Gentry’s trust, averaging career-highs across the board. He is the current frontrunner for the Most Improved Player of the Year Award, tallying 26.1 points, 7.2 boards and 4.2 assists while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 45.9 from three.
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