There should be a legitimate battle for the Rookie of the Year Award this season. As is typically the case, but not always, the top two draft picks will be considered favorites. Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram have that challenge this season, but other rookie talents will surely have a chance to break into the conversation, such as Kris Dunn in Minnesota, Jamal Murray in Denver, and Jaylen Brown in Boston.
Talking to Mark Medina of Los Angeles Daily News, Ingram confirms that he is driven by the prospect of winning the award:
“That’s something that is on my mind,” Ingram said in a phone interview with Southern California News Group. “All rookies want to win Rookie of the Year. That’s something that drives me.”
Ingram would be the first Laker franchise history to win Rookie of the Year. Elgin Baylor won the award when the team was in Minneapolis.
“We know we’re not going to go out and win 50 games this year and develop that chemistry right away,” Ingram said. “We know it’s a process. We have a new coach. We’ll have to continue to work hard each and every day. Hard work, developing chemistry, having good teammates and a good locker room, I think that’s what a successful season is.”
Being eligible for this award historically means getting high touches and putting up big numbers in your rookie season. Ingram has a knack for scoring the basketball. He’ll have to navigate his role on the team while adjusting to the pace and physicality of the NBA game, but his size and pure talent will allow him to be a factor right away. He averaged 12.2 points per game at the Las Vegas Summer League. In order to compete with his favorited competition in Ben Simmons, Ingram might need to attack his overall impact as a player while also putting up double-digit scoring numbers. That’s not beyond his ability, and it should be fun watching the elite rookies take on that challenge.
