'A dream come true': Brandon Ingram says he is ignoring reports ahead of NBA Draft

Multiple sources reported that the Lakers plan to take the Duke swingman at No. 2

<p>Brandon Ingram is expected to be a top-two pick Thursday night.&nbsp;</p>

Brandon Ingram is expected to be a top-two pick Thursday night. 

NEW YORK—Despite reports that the Philadelphia 76ers have promised former LSU star Ben Simmons that they will select him with the No.1 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, former Duke standout Brandon Ingram said he is waiting to hear from teams directly before considering his future destination.

"When I left the workout, they told me not to listen to everybody," Ingram said of the 76ers.

Ingram only worked out for Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Lakers, who hold the second pick, but said anything can happen depending on teams' preferences when asked if he would be surprised to fall past No. 2. Several sources reported Wednesday that the Lakers plan to take Ingram with the second pick if the 76ers take Simmons and there is not a blockbuster trade. 

This is not the first time in recent years Los Angeles has been linked to a former Blue Devil freshman with the No. 2 pick in the draft. 

The Lakers were expected to pick Jahlil Okafor with the second pick last year before pivoting away from the big man and selecting Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell instead.

However, there were no reports as definitive as ESPN's Wednesday, which stated that new Los Angeles head coach Luke Walton and company indicated to league sources that they would likely go with a Duke one-and-done prospect this time around.  

"Tomorrow I just expect to get drafted. I don't have any preference for any team," Ingram said. "I'm just very happy I'm getting drafted." 

If Ingram is selected in the top three Thursday evening at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, it will mark the third consecutive year a former Blue Devil has been picked in the top three. Okafor was picked third last year by Philadelphia and the Milwaukee Bucks selected Jabari Parker with the No. 2 pick in 2014.

In addition to talking to former Duke players about their NBA experiences, Ingram added Wednesday that he has learned a lot from his former AAU coach Jerry Stackhouse, an 18-year NBA veteran. Ingram is from Kinston, N.C., and also credited his friends and teammates growing up for helping him get to this point.

"If it wasn't for them, I probably wouldn't be here," he said.

The ACC Freshman of the Year, Ingram averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-9 forward has long been coveted as a pro prospect because of his 7-foot-3 wingspan and shooting ability, and he showed off his range during the 2015-16 campaign. Ingram made 80 3-pointers last year on 41.0 percent shooting from long range.

With the traditional big man becoming more and more rare in an NBA without normal positions, the All-ACC performer could make a big splash early in his career if he can be an efficient jump shooter at the next level. 

"The versatility of the game and how it's changed, you see different guys playing different positions—I think I have that ability coming into the NBA," Ingram said. "It's a great transition for me right now."

The biggest knock on Ingram for years has been the swingman's strength, which is the likely caveat for him to reach his potential in the NBA. Ingram started last season for Duke at 169 pounds, but said last week on ESPN "First Take" that he finished the season at 192 pounds and has since added five pounds to his frame. He added that he hopes to get to 210 pounds before the NBA season starts. 

Ingram said he was most concerned with taking the physical pounding that comes with an 82-game NBA season and managing his downtime, but for now, the 18-year old is enjoying the pre-draft process while he can.

"I'm very excited. The draft, everything, all the work that I've put in to get to this point—it's a dream come true," Ingram said. "To see one of my dreams come true is amazing for me and my family."

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