Strengths: Length
Outside of his shooting, perhaps Ingram’s most talked about attribute is his freakish 7-3 wingspan. To his credit, Ingram substantiated the hype about his rangy frame by using it to defend opposing guards, grab rebounds, and sustain plays on the offensive end.
Though Ingram misses the contested lay-up in the clip below, his reach enables him to get the rebound and keep the play alive. While one could argue that he should have kicked the ball out to point guard D’Angelo Russell following the rebound, hustle plays like these will be of utmost importance in meaningful games, and should be appreciated as such:
Ingram’s length also helps him on the defensive end, an area of the floor where the Lakers will need all the help that they can get. Even after initially being caught in a screen, Ingram uses his length to block the offensive player’s shot below:
Ingram, a solid on-ball defender, utilizes his frame to close out and force tough, contested shots from the offense that typically lead to misses and opportunities in transition.
Pay attention to Ingram again on defense in the clip below as he makes sure to stay with the ball and use his length to contest Golden State Warriors guard Patrick McCaw’s shot:
Once again, the importance of Ingram’s range cannot be overstated. As young as he is, his physical attributes portend to be the underlying theme behind his success as he develops in his career.
Here, thanks to good anticipation and his extraordinary long arms, the 18-year-old is able to steal the ball and finish an easy dunk in transition:
It’s apparent that his length is going to allow him to get by in many instances while he picks up many of the other nuances of the pro game and will eventually turn into a great weapon for the Kinston, NC native.
Next: Strengths: Offensive Versatility