The New Orleans Pelicans are headed for the postseason and Brandon Ingram has been a huge part of that.
But because of the combination of being a quiet player in small market, Ingram has not gotten nearly the attention he deserves.
He averaged 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season, making strides as a playmaker in the absence of Zion Williamson.
He has improved as a defender, definitely showing more effort on that end this season and is the unquestioned clutch-time leader of a team that is headed to the play-in tournament.
Nevertheless, Ingram was snubbed for the All-Star team (again) and is even overshadowed on his own team, as Zion’s injury and the CJ McCollum trade have gotten far more attention than Ingram’s play.
Not only that, but the Pelicans were a woeful 7-20 when Ingram didn’t play this season, further evidence of the effect he has the court.
But is he the most underrated player in the NBA?
Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans: Criminally underrated
I would say there are several players who could be named as the “most underrated” players in the NBA.
If you asked NBA fans who was most underrated you’d probably get a list that includes guys like Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland and Dejounte Murray, who are all great players who don’t get enough credit.
The difference is that all of these players (except Jrue Holiday) made the All-Star team this season while Brandon Ingram had to watch players like Andrew Wiggins and Khris Middleton, who both had worse stats, make it because they were on better teams that happen to have MVP candidates.
Ingram carried the Pelicans prior to the CJ McCollum trade and has hit a ton of big shots this season, most of which never show up on highlight reels.
I don’t know if it’s his quiet demeanor or the fact that he plays in New Orleans, but Brandon Ingram does not get the credit he deserves for his individual accomplishments, nor what he has meant to his team’s huge turnaround this season.