Good call. It was a different game, but this is another scrawny dude who worked hard and was a good NBA player.
I remember Isiah Rider just abusing him physically in the playoffs. Scrawny is ok during the regular season, but we're being reminded what happens in the playoffs to the physically less imposing like Curry.
yeah, but this isn't the same NBA. No you can't hand check, can't bump, and so on. I have not doubt that Ingram is still a bit skinny, but he is only 19. He will fill out in time and the need for bulk isn't what it used to be.
Corey Brewer is a scrawny little spit f*** with half the skill of Ingram and he's still trucking along in the NBA. As others have said, wing players can get away with being on the slim side. He's so young though, his old man strength hasn't even kicked in yet.
He's been going in more and more late first round territory, but I like him. If he's there at #32 I grab him and don't look back.
Ingram can be skinny for a couple years. His play is cerebral and he's able to stay low for the most part. He'll get knocked around a bit in one-on-one situations but his thinness hides a surprising amount of core strength. He's not always going to be a weak kid, he just needs time. I don't think his thinness is overrated though. He is definitely rail thin. I just think his thinness won't limit him TOO much in his career. He's smart enough to find ways to be effective without risking injury.
Gervin was such an interesting name that Ingram used that I had to go back and watch some film. The more I think about it, the more I think someone told him to focus on old Gervin film. You can see in some of Ingram's highlights that he's tried to take Iceman's silky touch around the rim on layups. George was 6'7" and 180 pounds his entire career. You can see he was very thin in the upper body, but he had a lot of muscle on his legs. George is a Hall of Famer and would make a tremendous role model/goal for Ingram obviously. Their games are pretty similar except George's jumper was an ugly duck. Of course the game is much different now so the numbers should be different but for his career Iceman was: 25.1/5.3/2.6/1.2/1.0 on 50.4% shooting. That's a heck of a line.
Yes, great juxtaposition with these clips. Similarities for sure with the touch around the rim, but already Ingram (hopefully not to his health jeopardy) seems more aggressive heading for the occasional in your face jams with that crazy 7'5" wing span, and yep no contest on their shooting strokes. Not to mention Brandon has got back to the basket game. Dude is thin but he plays physical. Pick your spots young man and stay healthy. Noice handles in the open floor. YUM!!
...aaahhh, The Iceman. On that clip, he was doing his thing against ace defenders Cooper, Wilkes, Dennis Johnson, Moncrief, Dunn. I can see the similarities except the finger roll which Gervin was a master at. Ingram likely has a longer range.
To be fair Ice had a long while to develop that and Ingram is still quite young. I do think you can see the inspiration there though even if Ingram puts his own fingerprints on it.
What trips me out is that Ingram would look to Gervin as a role model considering how so long ago since he has played. You figure up and coming prospects nowadays would likely acknowledge a more recent counterpart. What sets Ingram apart though is that height and length where he can shoot over defenders. Yes, he has to develop some body strength so that defenders can't affect his shot by crowding him.
I love the Iceman. Great model for Ingram to take on and I was really pleased to read that from him in his interview. He really is more Gervin than Durant. Durant is like a shooting guard in a 6 foot 10 inch body. Ingram's game is that of a long skinny SF without doubt. But with his range he can do the modern SF thing of knocking down the open 3. Make no mistake, I'm playing it cool with Simmons vs. Ingram because I don't want to get too attached before the draft like I did with Okafor. But I want Ingram. I think he's a phenomenal fit here.
