The prevailing narrative around Brandon Ingram said that he was a raw rookie who would not be able to contribute meaningfully right away. And, if you ask Lakers fans, they would echo those sentiments. They would claim that his current production is what they expected, maybe even that he is surpassing their expectations.
I have no reason to disbelieve them. But in the deepest unplumbed depths of the collective Lakers’ fan psyche lies a common hope: that Ingram would defy expectations and score 15 per game. That he would come out in his first game guns blazing, that he would rebuke the so-called draft experts with his NBA-ready scoring touch. Very few will admit it, but they are disappointed in Ingram’s lackluster start to the season.
Good things come to those who wait.