McDs spotlight: Brandon Ingram
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CHICAGO -- During Monday's first public round of practice at the 2015 McDonald's All-American Game, five-star small forward Brandon Ingram was the talk of the gym. The undecided senior had NBA and high school scouts buzzing and also took time to break down the status of his recruitment.
Whether he was swishing jumpers from deep or finding holes to navigate his skinny 6-foot-8 frame through for slashes to the rim, the Kinston (N.C.) High product was virtually unstoppable on the offensive end while practicing with the West team.
"I feel pretty good about it," Ingram told Rivals.com about his play on Monday. "Me and my team have been competing and we get along pretty well so it's pretty good.
"I felt like my senior year prepared me well for this. Also, playing against these guys in the summer I knew I had the confidence to come in and do well."
Currently ranked No. 19 in the in the 2015 Rivals150, Ingram is making a run at the national top 10 thanks to a strong senior season. He's also trying to nail down a decision.
Though he has a final six of Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, N.C. State, North Carolina and UCLA most of the speculation has been that Ingram's recruitment is a battle between the Carolina schools, which see him being able to step in and help out right away.
"I think everybody is looking for me to make an impact my freshman year," said Ingram of the local programs. "N.C. State sees me making an impact. UNC of course they need a shooter and Duke, they need a three if (Justise) Winslow leaves."
In the past, the Tar Heels have done well in Ingram's hometown, pulling future NBA players Jerry Stackhouse and Reggie Bullock out of Kinston. The area is generally considered UNC country.
"They don't give me much pressure," said Ingram. "Reggie, he's going to support my decision no matter where I go and Jerry is going to support my decision no matter where I go. So there's no pressure from any one those guys, they just want me to make the best decision for myself."
Lately, UNC has had a cloud of NCAA uncertainty hanging over the program and it has had a direct impact on Ingram's recruitment.
"It did affect my recruitment a little bit," said Ingram of UNC being looked into by the NCAA for alleged academic fraud. "If it was earlier and I would have made my signing in the early period I would have committed to North Carolina."
Just down Tobacco Road, Duke is in the Final Four and has been considered to be surging in Ingram's recruitment. It's looking more and more likely that freshman wing Justise Winslow will leave for the NBA but Ingram says that's pretty much irrelevant.
"It doesn't matter really," said Ingram of whether or not Winslow leaves. "If Winslow stays I think it would be even better for me actually. Just being with a veteran guy to help me out and it would be a good thing."
In Raleigh, N.C. State's run from a tough start to the Sweet Sixteen certainly got Ingram's attention.
"I just go back to I think anything is possible," said Ingram. "They came back as a low seed going into the tourney and they came out and played hard and got to where they got."
That being said, Ingram insists that he's not a lock to stay home and attend a local school.
"I don't think it's hard," Ingram said when asked how difficult it would be to lure him out of state. "Like on my Kansas visit, I really liked my Kansas visit honestly and I liked my Kentucky visit so I don't think it's hard to pull me out of state."
Though Ingram wasn't able to take unofficial visits to the out of state programs like he'd hoped to during the season, he plans to meet with each of them again and has a list of what he's looking for if he does leave home.
"Just if it's a good fit and they can develop me to be a better player," said Ingram. "If I have chemistry with the guys and actually having a chance to win the whole thing would be important."
Even though the spring signing period is only a little over two weeks away, Ingram still isn't sure when he will make a decision and says that he struggles with who he likes most on a daily basis and he knows that leaving -- if he does -- could ruffle some local feathers.
"Of course I know I would," said Ingram when asked if he was worried about upsetting local fans were he to leave the state. "But it doesn't matter. It's about what's best for me and my family."
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