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2016 NBA Draft: Who Are The Top Incoming Freshman?

By Ezra Siegel

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Mar 28, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; McDonalds High School All American athlete Brandon X Ingram (13) poses for pictures during portrait day at the Westin Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; McDonalds High School All American athlete Brandon X Ingram (13) poses for pictures during portrait day at the Westin Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Brandon Ingram, Forward — Duke

High School: Kinston High School (Kinston, N.C.)

Duke has produced top-3 picks in both of the last two NBA Drafts in Jabari Parker and Jahlil Okafor, respectively. With Brandon Ingram set to take the floor at Cameroon Indoor Stadium, the Blue Devils may have another top pick on the way.

At Kinston, Ingram led his team to raise four straight state championship trophies while showing off his elite stock as a college and NBA prospect. His rare blend of size (6’9”), ball handling and shooting ability have led to Kevin Durant comparisons, and he should step in and be one of Duke’s go-to guys immediately.

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    • Ingram showed his elite potential at both the McDonald’s All American Game and the Nike Hoops Summit with impressive shooting touch and slashing ability. At the All American Game, he put up an impressive 15 points, five rebounds, two steals and a block in just 18 minutes.

    Athletically, Ingram lacks the elite tools that Simmons and Brown have, but he’s not a poor athlete by any means. He’s a very capable leaper, but more importantly for a guy with his skill set, he has an innate ability for a 6’9” forward to get to where he wants on the floor using his quickness and ball handling ability.

    Like many prospects coming out of high school, Ingram is quite skinny and still needs to fill out his body. His defense and finishing ability may suffer from his lack of strength, but he should be able to do improve his body in time.

    While Ingram has some tough competition to be the top wing in his class, he will certainly give Brown and Simmons a run for their money. Like his recent Duke predecessors in Parker and Okafor, his rare offensive skills should allow him to eat up ACC defenses and put up big offensive totals.

    Look for Ingram to make a big splash as Duke’s prized freshman on his way to top NBA Draft stock.

    Next: The Rock Chalk Freshman