National Basketball Association

Lakers Wolves Debate: Better Small Forward, Brandon Ingram or Andrew Wiggins?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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In part two of our Los Angeles Lakers-Minnesota Timberwolves debate series we compare both teams’ impressive young small forwards

In attempt to answer which young core has the brighter future, we began by comparing the backcourts of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves in part one of our series.

After much deliberation, due to D’Angelo Russell‘s current advantage over rookie, Kris Dunn and the fact that the matchup between Jordan Clarkson and Zach LaVine was almost a wash, with LaVine slightly edging out the former, the Lakers are currently up one category to none over the T-Wolves.

The next category was one of the most fun to debate and again was much closer than one would think. Without further adieu, we ask who has the advantage at small forward, Brandon Ingram or Andrew Wiggins?

Small Forward: Brandon Ingram vs. Andrew Wiggins

The fact that so many of these categories are close calls speaks to the strength of both of these young cores. Brandon Ingram will enter his rookie season as the second overall pick in his class, with Andrew Wiggins preparing to enter his third season, after being drafted first overall in 2014.

Ingram is one of the most intriguing prospects in recent history. During his freshman season at Duke University, the 6-foot-9 wing demonstrated a staggering offensive repertoire showing the ability to shoot the three at a high level, while also using his incredible length to shoot over the top of defenders in the mid-range. Ingram’s long strides also allowed him to get to the rim for a solid variety of dunks, layups, and floaters.

Wiggins on the other hand is a much more physical player, using his impressive explosiveness to impact both ends of the floor. As a defender Wiggins has the ability to guard multiple positions, while his athleticism allows him to attack the rim effectively on offense. His impressive college season earned him the top spot in his draft and he has had success in his first two years in the NBA.

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Physically, both Ingram and Wiggins boast elite measurements for their position. While Wiggins is definitely the more explosive of the two, Ingram makes up for that by being an inch and a half taller than his peer.

More over, Ingram’s wingspan is three inches longer than Wiggins’. With both of these players offering impressive athleticism and size for their position, their physical profiles don’t reveal a clear advantage for either player.

While these two players are among the most promising young wings in the league, neither are without their flaws. Brandon Ingram’s notoriously slight frame will give him trouble early on in his career, and he will need to improve his playing strength to reach his full potential. Andrew Wiggins, on the other hand, is extremely physically mature, but lacks polish on the offensive end.

A solid finisher and mid-range shooter, Wiggins struggled shooting from beyond the arc during his college career. Disappointingly, he has actually regressed in that regard since arriving in the NBA. A 34 percent shooter from distance as a freshman at Kentucky, Wiggins shot only 31 percent from deep during his rookie campaign. Even more troublingly, that average fell to 30 percent in his sophomore season.

Another area in which Brandon Ingram has an advantage is playmaking. In his young career, Ingram has demonstrated the ability to make fairly advanced reads as a passer, and even showed promise as a ball handler in the pick and roll. Wiggins has struggled to develop this facet of his game, averaging more turnovers than assists since arriving in the league.

Although the Timberwolves have an elite prospect in Andrew Wiggins, the Lakers 2016 first round pick ultimately possesses the higher ceiling.

It’s tough to make this argument without seeing Ingram play a single NBA game yet, but with ridiculous length and the potential to develop into a number one scorer, Brandon Ingram gives the Lakers the edge at his position.

Winner: Lakers

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