Duke's Brandon Ingram declares for NBA draft
Brandon Ingram is NBA-bound.
The Duke forward is headed for the professional ranks of basketball after one season with the Blue Devils, he announced Monday on The Players' Tribune.
"Today I'm declaring for the NBA draft," Ingram's open letter begins, then recounts his recruitment, childhood, and his year at Duke both on the court and in the classroom.
The lanky 6-foot-9 Ingram averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his freshman campaign, and finished the year with a selection to the All-ACC second team.
Ingram, whose physical attributes and offensive polish remind many of a young Kevin Durant, is viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick in June's draft.
.@B_Ingram13 finished the season as the third-highest-scoring freshman in Duke history with 624 points.
— Duke Basketball (@dukeblueplanet) April 4, 2016
"Brandon Ingram was a special player at Duke this year, and his best basketball is still ahead of him," Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. "He is a no-maintenance player who loves the game, has a strong desire to get better, and competes every time he steps on the floor.
"Brandon is also a creative and thoughtful young man who comes from a beautiful family. We're proud that he'll always be a member of the Duke basketball family as he pursues an exciting future in professional basketball. I have absolutely loved coaching Brandon."
Duke has produced at least one first-round pick in each of the last five NBA drafts, and it would take quite a fall from grace for Ingram not to make it six.