Will Brandon Ingram become the Lakers’ next superstar?

Brandon Ingram may not be a rookie of the year candidate in the NBA, but he is the Los Angeles Laker with the biggest upside and looks like a superstar in the making.

Although Ingram started off the season slow, he has progressed nicely for the Lakers. Sure, he didn’t break out of the gates hot like some rookies do, but throughout the season he has shown why L.A. took him second overall in last year’s draft. The rookie forward is not just showing all-star potential, but superstar capabilities and definitely has the highest ceiling out of every player in the Lakers’ young core.

As the saying goes, he started slow but now he’s here. Well, not just yet but it has a ring to it. Although Ingram needs to experience more life on the court, in several of his last games he has come out of his shell. He has gone from being a timid rookie who often looked of unsure of himself on the floor, to an aggressive player looking for his shots and catching his stride.

In seven straight games, Ingram has scored double figures. So far in the month of March, he is averaging 12.3 points on 50.6 shooting. These averages are up from just 8.2 points on 37 percent shooting prior to March. The rise in his shooting percentage and point total can be attributed to a developing mid-range game and Ingram attacking the basket. He is 21-of-30 on shots around the rim this month, a 70 percent efficiency that’s a welcome sight for head coach Luke Walton.

The spark for Ingram’s recent progress is his growing confidence. At least that’s what head coach Luke Walton thinks.

"“I think it’s more just an overall confidence that he’s gaining from playing night after night after night,” head coach Luke Walton said after a Saturday practice."

While confidence is key, the fight he showed in the Lakers’ loss to the Milwaukee Bucks is also important. In fact, what Ingram displayed in the scrum with the Bucks is more key than his filling up the stat sheet. His willingness to stand up for his teammates shows some fire within the rookie. And no, L.A. doesn’t need a player with a “bad” temperament, and that’s certainly not Ingram’s M.O., but the passion is a plus.

Hopefully, the fight, fire and progress Ingram has been showing recently are signs of great things to come. Magic Johnson has said on many occasions that the team’s young core is untouchable. Who knows if that sentiment will change over time, but the one player who should definitely be staying in purple and gold is Ingram. He is finding his way on the NBA level and it’s truly amazing to watch. If the Lakers can add another draft pick with all-star potential like Lonzo Ball, L.A. could have two cornerstone players to build around for a long, successful future.

So no, Ingram hasn’t had a breakout rookie year. Instead, he has slowly progressed. The last superstar the Lakers had also didn’t receive rookie of the year honors and we all know how his career turned out. In no way is there any comparing Ingram to the great Kobe Bryant, but no one need forget that being the best rookie in the game doesn’t define your career in the long run.

Next: It's official, Lakers to miss playoffs yet again.

What do you think about Brandon Ingram’s progress? Is he developing nicely or did you expect more from the rookie? Do you think he has the potential to be the Lakers next superstar? Let us know in the comments below.