Duke’s Brandon Ingram Joins LSU’s Ben Simmons By Declaring For NBA Draft

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The 2016 NBA Draft is expected to be incredibly talented at the top and not so much after the second pick has been made. Many have dubbed the upcoming draft as a two-player draft with LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram being the best all-around prospects.

Shortly after LSU’s season was over, Simmons announced his intention to declare for the draft. Ingram took a little longer with his decision but ultimately has chosen to go the same route to make the leap to the NBA level.

Ingram took to The Players’ Tribune to make his announcement that he’ll leave the Duke Blue Devils and declare for June’s draft via ESPN:

“My time is almost over here in Durham. Today as I declare for the NBA draft, I’m both excited and sad about this moment,” he wrote.

Over the past year or so, Simmons has been considered the top prospect for the 2016 NBA Draft. Simmons has a unique skillset which has drawn comparisons to NBA greats like Magic Johnson and LeBron James. Ingram, however, can stretch the defense as an outside shooter and could ultimately prove to be the better prospect once draft day rolls around on June 23.

The draft order will be determined on May 17 during the NBA Draft Lottery. The Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Phoenix Suns are among the teams in the league hoping to lock up the top spot in June’s draft.

With the end of the 2015-16 NBA season drawing near, the debate rages on about which player, Ingram or Simmons, will be taken with the number one overall pick. A current prop bet at Sportsbook.ag has 1.5 over/under for Simmons’ draft position.

With more than two months until the draft, Simmons and Ingram will go through the process of being vetted by NBA teams with the consensus on who goes number one potentially set to change before June 23. Simmons is the safe bet to be the top pick as of right now, but that could quickly change in the coming weeks.