North Carolina is the premier state for basketball in the USA, with Duke and the University of North Carolina being historic rivals, NBA legends like James Worthy, Vince Carter, Grant Hill, JJ Reddick, and of course, the one and only Michael Jordan attending these schools. However, one of the most underrated greatest players in Duke history is North Carolina native and current New Orleans Pelican and former Laker Brandon Ingram, who is making significant strides in his NBA career. In his one year at Duke, he averaged 17 points a game, one block, two assists, and seven rebounds, earning the title of ACC Rookie of the Year in 2016 and an Associated Press Honorable Mention in 2016.
In his NBA career, he’s a one-time all-star, Most Improved Player in 2020, was the All-Rookie Second Team in 2017, and won the rising stars challenge in 2017 and 2018. Ingram has grown tremendously since his time as a Laker, and the Pelican’s win over Minnesota on April 9 is evidence of that, as in 42 minutes, he scored 42 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and one block. The North Carolina native who went on to play for Duke is showing not only his growth but also that the state of basketball in the state of North Carolina is alive and well.
