Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram has been putting in efforts this offseason in order to improve his shooting because that is the part of his game in which the Lakers want him to get better. The 19-year-old has gone back to basics of the shooting - how he catches and releases the ball.
Even though he is 6'9, Ingram can shoot the ball from each position on the court, and be successful while doing so. The second overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft is one of the most talented players in the whole NBA and could become one of the deadliest shooters in the future.
Ingram's length gives him the chance to always have the size advantage over his defender as his listed position is small forward, not power forward or center, as some might think. Due to his game-style, the Duke product has often been compared to superstar Kevin Durant. 2014 NBA Season MVP Durant is a real nightmare for NBA teams as his 6'9 height and the ability to shoot extremely well is a deadly asset in the game. The hope remains Ingram will turn into as good of a shooter as Durant is, or get somewhere close to that level in the future.
''Just a lot of mechanics,'' Ingram said during his appearance on ESPNLA's Mason and Ireland when asked about the things he is doing to improve his shooting.
''Things I did last year. Because of my length, the way I'm shooting the basketball. I think just being tighter and how I catch the basketball.''
Worked out quite well
Brandon Ingram didn't have a bad shooting year, percentage wise, finishing his rookie campaign with an average of 9.4 points with a 40.2 field-goal percentage.
However, the 19-year-old was knocking down just under 30 percent of his three-point shots during the season. The forward was flourishing in April, collecting 13.5 points on an excellent 51.7 shooting percentage from the field, but remained at 30 percent when it came to the shots beyond the arc.
Though he had a good shooting year statistically, Ingram remains eager to reach another level when it comes to that aspect of the game.
''Actually, it worked pretty well percentage-wise and what I've been doing in workouts I've gone a lot higher,'' Ingram added. ''So it feels more comfortable the way I'm shooting also.''
The grind
Brandon Ingram says his shooting hasn't been the only thing he has worked on this offseason as he is looking to improve each and every segment of his game. The rising Los Angeles Lakers Rising Star hopes to enter the sophomore season as ready as possible. The 19-year-old claims that he is starting to enjoy the fruits of his hard work.
''So every single day just working on that and working on different things on my game. I feel like I'm getting better,'' Ingram revealed.
