Pelica Debrief
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Brandon Ingram recieves All-Star endorsement from Kevin Durant

By Willie Lutz

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 3: A close up shot of Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans warming up before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 3, 2020 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 3: A close up shot of Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans warming up before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 3, 2020 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Currently playing the best basketball of his career, Brandon Ingram got a nod from a multi-time champion and Most Valuable Player.

As the season progresses, the All-Star case for Brandon Ingram just keeps getting stronger, especially as more eyes are starting to turn to the prolific start from the young player.

However, things took a fun turn yesterday for the case of Ingram, who’s currently playing like a man greatly improved from just a year ago.

Yesterday afternoon, Brooklyn Nets injured superstar Kevin Durant replied to a tweet about Ingram’s All-Star status, showing that the forward believes the Pelicans’ youngster should make his first trip to All-Star Weekend this season.

The endorsement comes from one of the most important and prolific players of this era. His assessment that fans will hold the team’s lack-of-wins against the 22-year-old forward is probably accurate.

Ingram has received 444,522 votes for his efforts so far, which gives him just the ninth-highest total in the Western Conference frontcourt pool of players.


Not only is Durant one of the most popular players in the league, but he’s also a 10-time All-Star himself, in addition to being a two-time NBA Finals winner (the MVP in both), appeared six times on the All NBA First Team, and won the 2014 NBA MVP.

Over the course of his NBA career, Ingram has continued to draw comparisons to the former MVP, both he and Durant share long, lanky frames with both being incredible shot makers.

While Durant’s trajectory to the top of the league came with a little more ease, Brandon Ingram is showing similarly impressive numbers entering year four of his career.

  • Kevin Durant per game averages in his fourth season (2010-2011): 78 games, 27.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 1 block, 35% three-point rate, 58.9% true shooting rate, 88% free throw rate.
  • Brandon Ingram per game averages fourth season so far (2019-2020): 34 games, 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1 steal, 0.8 blocks, 40.2% three-point rate, 59.6% true shooting rate, 87% free throw rate

Ingram performing at a shockingly similar level to Durant should be incredible news for Pelicans fans; if they’ve picked up a Durant-ish talent in the Anthony Davis exchange, that alone is one heck of a return.

The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t offer Brandon Ingram a max extension this summer, but like Durant before him, it seems incredibly likely that he’ll ink a fully-loaded deal with the team this summer.

Next. Pelicans could make a deadline splash, per ESPN reporter. dark

While the Pelicans are still on the outside looking in from the playoff picture, things are changing quickly as the team rallies around what’s been an incredible season through 34 games for Brandon Ingram.

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