Which 2018 NBA Rising Stars Challenge Participants Profile as Future Superstars?
Cloudy and Bright
Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
| Comparable Seasons | Match % |
|---|---|
| Michael Beasley, 2010-11 | 89.94% |
| Jeff Green, 2007-08 | 89.41% |
| Devin Booker, 2015-16 | 89.07% |
| Devin Booker, 2016-17 | 87.09% |
| Chucky Atkins, 2000-01 | 87.03% |
Ingram draws comparisons to highly-hyped guys like Michael Beasley, Jeff Green and Devin Booker. If not for Beasley's resurgence this season, Ingram's outlook would be much scarier in the negative sense.
In all fairness to Ingram, his per-game numbers -- mostly his scoring -- are in line with Beasley's first year in Minnesota and Green's rookie year with the SuperSonics, but his efficiency has been a step above. His -3.2 nERD is far better than Beasley and Green's marks of -7.3 and -9.8. It's also an improvement on last year's -11.0 nERD. There's still a long ways to go but there's reason for optimism.
| Comparable Seasons | Match % |
|---|---|
| Steve Francis, 2003-04 | 92.16% |
| Latrell Sprewell, 2000-01 | 92.04% |
| Brandon Jennings, 2010-11 | 92.00% |
| Metta World Peace, 2008-09 | 91.94% |
| Jrue Holiday, 2011-12 | 91.38% |
You're probably shocked to see Mitchell here. He might very well be the leader in the clubhouse for Rookie of the Year (if Simmons isn't), but looking forward, Mitchell has a wide range of potential outcomes.
A mix of point guards and wings make up his top five comparables, but at the very top Steve Francis's third and final All-Star campaign is a nice sight. While Francis eventually fizzled out, if Mitchell's able to get through his prime healthy, his upside is high. Francis averaged 16.6 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds, and that's with just 0.9 threes per game. Mitchell, with 2.3 threes and 19.6 points per game, has shown that he's a much better scorer from the outside, and that's key in today's NBA.
