Brandon Ingram

The debate, regarding whether Brandon Ingram is on the current NBA’s Mount Rushmore of midrange pull-up specialists, or somewhere right on the fringe, may never have a completely definitive answer, given its subjective nature. But, had the former All-Star forward been out to find believers, he certainly made the case for it in the Portland Trail Blazers’ arena on October 25, 2024. Biding his time patiently from the center-court logo in a postseason-like, suspenseful final 10 seconds, Ingram intelligently hunts out a switch, going from Jerami Grant to a much-smaller Anfernee Simons. Using first a series of between-the-leg dribbles and then a spin-and-pivot combination to free himself of a spirited effort from Portland’s combo guard, Ingram elevates into a game-winning 17-footer, putting the game in the history books. No. 2 in midrange buckets (23) over 2024-25’s first two weeks — and top-10 over each of the last four seasons — Ingram again cemented himself as a top-shelf bucket-getter from every level. Notably active on both ends, Ingram recorded 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block, moving the New Orleans Pelicans to a flawless 2-0 open.