Like Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker and Austin Rivers, Brandon Ingram scooped up ACC Freshman of the Year honors.
Those three Blue Devil stars only got one chance to dance, and according to his head coach, Ingram probably won't stick around for another NCAA tournament before heeding the call of the NBA.
Which makes it all the more important for the Kinston, N.C., native to make a name for himself this postseason, trying to follow in the path of Okafor—who cut down the nets and earned a national title alongside fellow one-and-done standouts Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow—rather than that of Rivers and Parker, whose Duke careers ended abruptly with stunning Round of 64 upsets.
“If things go the way they should go, this will be [Ingram’s] only time that he can play in the tournament,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said during his press conference Wednesday. “[His draft stock is] not going to be affected that much one way or the other by it, but he will be affected by the memory of what he does in the tournament. In other words, this is your one shining moment. This is the one time you will be in the NCAA tournament, and [he'll want] to make the most of that opportunity.”
Ingram has averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game to this point in the season, hitting his stride late in nonconference play and never turning back. Those numbers, combined with his 6-foot-9 stature and 7-foot-3 wingspan, have solicited comparisons to 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant and have kept Ingram right at the top of most NBA draft boards, projected as either the first or second overall pick in June draft.
Until recently, Louisiana State freshman Ben Simmons has been all but a lock for the No. 1 pick. But Simmons' Tigers struggled down the stretch and will not participate in the postseason, and concerns have arisen about his academic work and on-court body language. Those factors—combined with Ingram’s steady production—could turn the tables.
Ingram is listed at just 190 pounds and will take some time to build up the muscle mass that an 82-game NBA slate requires, but his versatility and smooth stroke will be coveted by any number of teams at the top of the draft order.
“Brandon is going to be in a growth spurt for a number of years, not just physically, but game-wise,” Krzyzewski said. “He’s got a great future ahead of him.”
For now, though, the swingman's focus is on finishing the season—and possibly his Duke career—with a deep run in the NCAA tournament. That starts with a big performance against UNC-Wilmington Thursday afternoon.
Assuming he is as tuned in as Krzyzewski expects, Ingram will approach his only shot in the Big Dance as he does most things—quietly, letting his game speak for itself.
“He’s in a really good place,” Krzyzewski said. "He’s having fun, and he’s a beautiful kid to coach. He’s what I call a no-maintenance guy. There’s never a time when he has his mind on other things. He loves playing basketball, he loves being coached and he loves being at Duke.”
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