After a couple of rough seasons in Los Angeles, Brandon Ingram was sent to the Pelicans in a mid-season trade that welcomed Anthony Davis to the Lakers.
And while Ingram was a background piece in the deal, he is emerging as a star in this league. Averaging nearly 26 points per game for the Pelicans, he has become their de-facto leader and best player with Zion on the shelf.
With his resurgence comes the comparisons and perhaps none have been more common in regards to Ingram than the ones with Kevin Durant. It seems far-fetched at first, the numbers actually show staggering similarities between the two at age 22.
Averages for points, rebounds and assists are nearly identical. Impressively, Ingram is actually putting up those numbers with higher efficiency (48%) and in fewer minutes (34.5).
Then again, at the same age, Durant played in the Western Conference Finals and won the scoring title — one of three for consecutive years from 2012 to 2013.
It’s clear that Ingram is much less accomplished and he is, by no means, on the same level as Durant. He probably never will be. But for New Orleans, it has got to be an encouraging sign to see their young stud budding into a star before their very eyes. Better days may yet lay ahead for the Pels.
