New Orleans Pelicans: Brandon Ingram wins first award of the new season
By Terry Kimble
Fresh off the heels of winning an award to end last season, New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram begins the new year with another award.
If anyone wanted to know if New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram was going to improve even more after winning last season’s Most Improved Player award, look no further than the first week of this NBA season.
After leading the Pelicans to a 2-1 start he was rewarded for his efforts as he was announced as the Western Conference Player of the Week.
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New Orleans Pelicans: Brandon Ingram is becoming a superstar
The one people dub B.I. or even Baby Durant lived up to this billing as he has been phenomenal to start the new season. Through three games, Ingram is averaging nearly 27 points, seven rebounds, and about seven assists a game.
His assists per game are more than double his career average of 3.3 a contest. Not only is Ingram an efficient scorer at over 50 percent from the field this season, but he is becoming a true leader in setting his teammates up for success.
This was no doubt evident in the season opener versus the Toronto Raptors when Ingram dished out a career high 11 assists and was one rebound away from his first career triple-double. The improvement and confidence in his game seem to be budding with every passing minute and he’s proving why the Pelicans made him their guy when they signed him to a max contract extension this offseason.
With great power comes great responsibility as the now-famous line goes, and Ingram is taking that responsibility head-on, especially during the waning moments of the game. The Pelicans need a closer and Ingram is shouldering that load, so much so that his new coach Stan Van Gundy is taking note. Van Gundy had this to say after the Pelicans’ 98-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
"“I’m glad he wanted the ball, and he’s going to be in that situation a lot,” coach Stan Van Gundy said. “He clearly understands the responsibility that comes with it.”"
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The New Orleans Pelicans are off to a hot start and so is their star Brandon Ingram. Ingram will look to build upon this recognition by continuing his solid play and lifting his teammates up with him.
The New Orleans Pelicans know they can only go as far as Ingram takes them.