2017 NBA Rookie Ladder: Top Contenders For Rookie Of The Year

3. Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers

Brandon Ingram’s path to stardom won’t be immediate as some thought this summer.

During preseason and even in Summer League he’s struggled to consistently assert himself on offense.

While he has the tools of a shot creator and maker, his thin frame and lack of strength don’t give him much room to work with around the basket.

He relies heavily on floaters, mid-range shots and 3-pointers, but he hasn’t converted at an efficient rate.

Ingram was 5-of-18 from three and 18-of-46 shooting from the field overall in eight preseason games.

Those numbers don’t scream offensive success, but the manner in which he’s scored has impressed.

As I mentioned his ability to finish on strings of possessions isn’t there yet.

But he’s willing to fight and get pushed around inside, which is encouraging for Los Angeles Lakers fans.

Over time he’ll improve and get his touches, but for now he’s reportedly starting his career off the bench.

If he’s stuck there for a majority of the season he likely won’t have enough of a shot at the ROY award.

There’s always hope that he asserts himself as the team’s second option to D’Angelo Russell.

Regardless the future is bright in Los Angeles. Whether he’s the next Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant doesn’t matter.

He’s loaded with his own potential as a lean scoring machine.