Brandon Ingram to Duke: Blue Devils Land 5-Star SF Prospect

There's a party kicking off on the campus of Duke, as the basketball program just managed to land superstar prospect Brandon Ingram.

Stephen Wiseman of The Durham Herald-Sun reported the news of Ingram's commitment on Monday and passed along a quote from the small forward:

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

ESPN's Jeff Goodman suggested the North Carolina academic fraud investigation may have played a part in Ingram's decision to pick Duke over the Tar Heels, while Laura Keeley of The Charlotte Observer shared a comment from Ingram's father:

The 6'9", 195-pound star from Kinston High in Kinston, North Carolina, is considered a 5-star prospect by 247Sports' composite ratings. The recruiting site lists him as the No. 4 overall prospect in the country, the No. 3 small forward and the best player from the state of North Carolina.

ESPN Insider offered the following scouting report on Ingram:

"

Ingram is an extra long wing with a sweet stroke and deep range. He knocks down open threes on the break, spacing to the open area on the side of dribble penetration and springs off screens. He has a quick trigger and shoots over smaller defenders with ease. He is an excellent passer as he uses his length to see over the defense where he delivers the ball right on target. Ingram is a good straight line driver with a one or two dribble attack, elevate and finish.

"

You can see him in action below:

Indeed, the best word to describe Ingram is certainly "smooth." You could go with "silky," too.

Ingram has aspects of his game he'll need to work on, of course. Like many young players, he'll need to bulk up a bit, and he'll need to develop the killer, aggressive instinct that top players at the collegiate level have. 

But there's no questioning his talent and potential to be a star. He also seems dedicated to getting the most of his talent, despite the sacrifice that entails, as he tweeted in August:

Duke will certainly be hoping he's great for them. Based on his high school career, his enormous upside and his well-rounded game, it wouldn't be wise to bet against Ingram.        

Recruit star ratings and rankings via 247Sports unless otherwise noted.