June 13, 2016
In 2016, everything in the NBA Draft is analyzed thoroughly. All of the top prospects have been scouted and picked apart since they were in high school (only a year ago in this case), which probably places less importance on the individual workout.
With Duke small forward Brandon Ingram in town to work out for the Sixers on Monday at PCOM, president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo even admitted that he didn’t learn a whole lot about the projected top-2 pick on the court. That said, Colangelo was still happy to have the rail-thin 6’9” wing in for a visit.
“He’s just a wonderful young man, a terrific basketball player but also a terrific human being,” Colangelo said. “It’s great to be able to spend some time with him and talk to him about his upbringing and about Coach K and his experiences at Duke.
“You learn so much more about a person when you sit down face to face and talk to him.”
Getting to know Ingram is just what Colangelo and the Sixers brass have done over the last few days. Previously, they had interviewed him at the NBA Combine in Chicago. Ingram, who dined with a group that included Brett Brown and Joel Embiid in Rittenhouse Square Sunday night, said he liked what he saw during his short stay in Philly.
Brett and @B_Ingram13 having a meal at Parc #Sixers pic.twitter.com/Yprj7PEsQR
— Jamie Lynch (@jelynchjr) June 12, 2016
“Overall, it’s a great city,” Ingram said. “Of course it’s great guys around here. They have great teammates around here, great people around here. Overall, I felt comfortable being out in the city.”
Some of the current Sixers on hand to take in the crowded workout were Embiid, fellow Duke product Jahlil Okafor, and Robert Covington. Ingram, who also worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers last week (the holders of the No. 2 overall pick), said that a few people came up to him during dinner but that “it didn’t get too annoying.”
“Just hanging out with Joel Embiid and some of the coaches, everyone is pretty nice out here,” Ingram said. “It’s just a great feeling being out here.”
Brandon Ingram Shooting Threes from Rich Hofmann on Vimeo.
Unlike the prior Sixers pre-draft workouts that were open to the media, Ingram was all by himself on Monday, standard operating procedure for a prospect of his caliber. He ran through shooting drills and operated out of the pick-and-roll, pretty standard individual offensive skill work. The 18-year-old characterized the intensity as “sky-high” in both Los Angeles and here today.
Almost every report and rumor you come across indicates that Ben Simmons will be a Philadelphia 76er next week, but Ingram had his shot to make a case for No. 1 on Monday.
“I feel like I should be an NBA player,” Ingram said when asked if he wants to be the top pick. “I can’t make the decision at the end of the day but of course I worked so hard to get to this point I’m just happy to hear my name being called on draft night.”
He should hear it called sooner rather than later on draft night. Simmons, on the other hand, has not yet worked out with the Sixers. Colangelo said he’s “still working on” bringing the other projected top-2 pick in for a workout, but Simmons’ agent Rich Paul hasn’t put one on the agenda yet.
Despite the Aussie point forward’s absence, Colangelo didn’t sound worried about the situation.
“It’s not a red flag,” Colangelo said. “Everybody deals with the draft process differently. Sometimes agents are involved, sometimes families are involved in those decisions. Everything that we get with respect to our intel as it relates to Ben is he would very much like to be selected No. 1. I think we heard the same thing from Brandon today, and it will just be all part of the process as we look at making that final choice.”
Bryan Colangelo on Ben Simmons/Brett Brown from Rich Hofmann on Vimeo.
Colangelo emphasized the importance of getting medical information for top prospects, and he indicated that both Simmons and Ingram are scheduled to undergo physicals sometime this week.
Ingram had his day on Monday, and he indicated that members of the Sixers organization told him he’d be a great fit in Philly. Whether he is picked first or second next week, the team that drafts Ingram will be getting a confident teenager.
“Everything motivates me,” Ingram said. “Criticism, even good things motivate me. So going into this process, I know that just looking to my family and the people that matter and just keep going forward [will help me] be the best player I can be.”
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
