New Orleans Pelicans: Brandon Ingram is finally living up to his potential

After a slow start to his NBA career, Brandon Ingram is finally living up to his potential and is looking more and more like a future superstar

At this point, there’s no denying it. Brandon Ingram is a star player. Although considered by some as being too skinny and small framed for his height, he has overcome every single hurdle set by the media or history.

In his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, he had slight glimpses of greatness but, for one reason or another, was never quite able to put it all together. It also didn’t help that the injury bug bit him each of his last two seasons with the club, culminating in Ingram missing 53 games over that span.

Between the falling short of expectations after being drafted second overall in the 2016 NBA Draft and the number of injuries that forced him in and out of the lineup, Ingram admits that he was going through a mental depression during his time with the Lakers.

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After three seasons with the Lakers, and one with LeBron James, Brandon Ingram was the centerpiece of a trade package that would land Anthony Davis in Los Angeles. Ingram was granted a new start in New Orleans.

And since then, he hasn’t looked back.

Ever since he put on a Pelicans jersey, Ingram has looked like a completely different player. So far this season, Ingram is averaging 25 points, six assists and four rebounds on 47 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent (career-high) from 3-point range. In short, he’s looking every bit the player that many expected him to be when he was drafted out of Duke.

In his fourth season as a pro, Ingram is playing lights out and will be in the conversation to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player if he continues on this pace. Ingram is a unique talent; he can score at will and also has athleticism that, at times, is often overlooked for a man his size. He can post up effectively, hit the fadeaway jumper, mid-range jumper and even the 3-ball at an exceptionally high clip.

Ingram is finally the budding star that many projected him out to be when he was drafted out of Duke. Perhaps the best thing about Ingram and his future is that he won’t be asked to do it alone in New Orleans.

Ingram is surrounded by Zion Williamson, the team’s No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, Lonzo Ball, J.J. Redick, Jrue Holiday and Jaxson Hayes. The Pelicans are loaded with talent and with Ingram making the jump to NBA stardom, the sky is the limit for both Ingram and this franchise.

Who knows, perhaps Brandon Ingram will even be an NBA MVP candidate next year? He’s been that good this season.