Brandon Ingram (Photo : Getty Images/Sean M. Haffey)
The Los Angeles Lakers are locked to select Duke Blue Devils' small forward Brandon Ingram, even if it landed the no.1 overall pick in this year's draft, per report by Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.com.
The Lakers, who owns a no.2 overall pick for the second straight year, are expected to select the 6-foot-9 Ingram, barring a change of a heart in the last minute.
Givony stated in his latest Mock Draft on the Vertical of Yahoo Sports that Lakers executives are very high on the lanky wing scorer because he's perfectly fills in what the team is currently missing.
"In a draft many consider to have a significant dropoff after the second pick, the Lakers will be happy to "settle" for whomever the Sixers pass.
Ingram is the player the Lakers would have targeted at No. 1 had they won the lottery, sources told The Vertical. He is a perfect fit for their roster and should generate a great deal of excitement about the future."
The likelihood of Ingram getting selected no.2 by the Lakers on Thursday's draft even increased following a three-hour meeting with new head coach Luke Walton.
Chad Ford and Ramona Shelburne reported that it would take 'a last minute blockbuster trade offer' in order for the Lakers to pass on the opportunity of getting Ingram, who is clear-cut top-2 prospect alongside LSU's Ben Simmons.
Averaging 17.3 points on 44.2 percent shooting in his first and only college season with Duke, Ingram is viewed by many scouts as the prospect with the highest All-Star potential because of his physical tools and already NBA-ready outside shooting.
Ingram even draws comparison to Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant, who emerges as the alpha-dog of this year's class of free-agents.
