Brandon Ingram (Photo : Getty Images/Sean M. Haffey)
The Los Angeles Lakers have booked a second workout session for NCAA March Madness star Buddy Hield, a move that only suggests the team's growing interest in the streaky shooter out of Oklahoma. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday.
Hield, the consensus College Player of the Year, is steadily making waves days leading up to the NBA Draft following an impressive workouts in front of several NBA scouts. One of the teams showing immense interest in the Sooner shooter are the Lakers, who are reportedly inviting him for a second workout session on June 18th.
Hield already had a private session with the Lakers top executives two weeks ago. Although it's only common for top prospects to get second workout invitation from a team, there are rumblings about the team seriously considering him for the no.2 overall pick alongside Ben Simmons of LSU and Brandon Ingram of Duke.
-Meanwhile, ESPN analysts are apparently high on Ingram's pro potential to the point of labeling him as a projected All-Star in the next five years. ESPN Analytics specialists Paul Sabin and Sharon Katz both agreed that Ingram is the best prospect in this year's draft, believing the former Blue Devils star can make an impact right away with his physical tools and reliable outside shooting.
"Despite the consensus among scouts, these projections question whether Simmons is truly the best player in the class. Ingram has the highest draft grade, based on total projected SPM, and he is most likely to play at the level of an All-Star or starter during his first five seasons," according to ESPN Analytics.
-On the other hand, ESPN's Chad Ford provided a different perspective on the Lakers' situation ahead of the NBA Draft. According to the veteran scout, an unnamed NBA executive believes Marquese Chriss of Washington Huskies should be the Lakers' top pick because of its immense upside.
"In the past few weeks I've heard comparisons to Shawn Marion and Shawn Kemp. As we've been saying in this space for a while, he has highest ceiling in the draft after Ben Simmons and Ingram. But does he have a higher ceiling than Ingram? Perhaps. He's a better athlete, and given his body type, he might be a better defender (if he can learn how to stay out of foul trouble)," Chad Ford via Lakers Nation.
