An analysis of the Los Angeles Lakers Brandon Ingram and Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo’s rookie seasons, to determine which elements of their games were similar, and where they differed.
Taken 2nd overall in the 2016 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a player that they hoped could become the next face of the franchise in Brandon Ingram.
However, with the season now behind us, it is not a stretch to say that the former Blue Devil did not exactly meet expectations in his rookie campaign.
In his first year, the 19-year-old averaged a mediocre 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, to go along with less than a steal and a block per game while shooting 40% from the field. This outing is what spurred him onto the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
What really impacted the forward’s performance was his inability to shoot from beyond the arc with the same success he enjoyed in college.
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In Ingram’s freshman season at Duke, he converted a solid 41% of his threes while taking around five per game. In contrast, this year he only knocked down just under 30% of shots from deep while attempting 2.4 a game.
Given the Kinston native’s rocky start in the NBA, some may be concerned that he will be unable to become the formidable player people thought he had the potential to be while in college.
However, Lakers supporters should not lose hope just yet, as it is not uncommon for a rookie to struggle slightly in their first season in the NBA as they learn to adjust to the new level of competition they face.
A prime example of this would be 2016-2017 Most Improved Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who Ingram is sometimes compared to given their similar physical profiles and ability to handle as well as pass the ball.
Thus, as a way to gauge the 19-year-old’s possible trajectory, it is useful to compare his first NBA season with the Greek International as a means to gain more insight as to the type of numbers he may be able to provide in the future.
In order to do this, it is important to look at various areas of their game to compare where they share similarities, as well as which parts differ from one another.