LSU’s Ben Simmons seemed like a lock to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, but his disappointing play down the stretch allowed Duke forward Brandon Ingram to enter the conversation for the top pick.
Ingram declared for the draft Monday with an article on The Player’s Tribune titled “Farewell, Duke.”
The 18-year-old freshman is a raw talent. He has excellent athleticism, but lacks strength at 6-foot-9 and 195 pounds.
Ingram averaged 17.3 points per game for Duke this season, and he helped lead the Blue Devils to the Sweet 16 of this year’s NCAA Tournament, where they lost to No. 1 seed Oregon.
There’s a good chance Ingram becomes the fourth Duke player drafted with a top two pick over the last five years. Kyrie Irving (2011), Jabari Parker (2014) and Jahlil Okafor (2015) are the most recent.
Thumbnail photo via Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports Images
