What’s the word on the Lakers’ top pick? ‘Coachable’

There’s plenty about Brandon Ingram that remains unknown, from whether his slender frame can withstand the increased physicality he will encounter in the NBA to how he will deal with being the focal point of a major market’s flagship sports franchise.

Here’s what can be said: Ingram shouldn’t be responsible for the kinds of headaches D’Angelo Russell produced last season.

At his introductory news conference Tuesday, the 6-foot-9 Ingram refrained from making any predictions about how he might perform in his rookie season with the Lakers. What the 18-year-old small forward did promise was that he would be coachable.

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Lakers rookies Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubic selected No. 2 and No. 32 overall in the NBA draft, respectively, met with the Los Angeles media for the first time Tuesday. 

Ingram dropped that exact word on three separate occasions as he fielded questions at the Lakers’ practice facility with second-round draft pick Ivica Zubac. Not once was Ingram guided into answering the question like that.

If Luol Deng starts ahead of him?

“I’ll be coachable enough to do whatever the coach wants me to do,� Ingram replied.

His expectations for upcoming season?

“Just to work hard,� he said. “Just come here, be coachable, be aggressive each and every day, and never miss a day, never take a day off.�

Is he ready for the scrutiny that comes with replacing Kobe Bryant as the face of the Lakers?

“There’s no other Kobe Bryant,� he said. “I just know coming into this, I just have to be coachable. I do whatever the coach wants, I make him happy, then I’m happy.�

This all sounded a little corny, even a little rehearsed, but it wasn’t insignificant to a once-proud Lakers franchise that was frustrated and embarrassed last season by Russell’s immaturity.

In this regard, the Lakers lucked out by landing the second pick in the draft instead of the first, where they would have had the option of taking Ben Simmons, a superior athlete with a higher ceiling but also a far more questionable temperament. The decision was taken out of their hands by the ping-pong balls.

If Ingram is anything like the person he presented himself to be, the Lakers shouldn’t have to be concerned that his work ethic might be questioned publicly by Coach Luke Walton, as Russell’s was by Byron Scott.

Nor do the Lakers have to be worried that Ingram might provide tabloid websites with the kind of fodder Russell did when he secretly videotaped teammate Nick Young speaking about his personal life.

Of course, Russell was also saying the right things at this time last year. But Ingram has the right people around him, which add gravity to his words.

Ingram’s support system includes longtime mentor and former NBA All-Star Jerry Stackhouse.

Stackhouse and Ingram are from Kinston, a small town in North Carolina with about 20,000 residents. Stackhouse used to coach Ingram on the AAU circuit and the two remain in contact daily.

There’s also Ingram’s father, Donald, a high school and junior college referee who taught his son the importance of rules at an early age.

“When he was 5, 6, 7 years old, he knew the rules and he knew how to handle officials and players on the court,� Donald said.

Donald also stressed mastering fundamentals.

“I didn’t want him just trying to go behind his back, between his legs,� he said. “I wanted him to learn the basics first.�

Donald runs a recreation center in Kinston. When older players took over the gymnasium, Donald used to instruct Brandon to sit on the sidelines and take in what he could.

“He always listened,� Donald said.

And he always had a calm exterior.

“Brandon has always been that type of player who’s hard to read,� Donald said. “You don’t know whether he’s mad or upset or excited. He carries the same demeanor throughout the entire game.�

Like his father, who is often subjected to verbal abuse from fans when he referees.

“I keep the same demeanor,� Donald said. “Fans that boo, me as a ref, him as a player, we don’t change the game for the fans. I don’t call what they ask me to call.�

And Donald’s demeanor as a referee shaped Brandon?

“I know it did,� Donald said. “I know it did.�

Helping Brandon with his cross-country move will be his 25-year-old brother, Bo, who played at the University of Texas at Arlington. The brothers are planning to live near the Lakers’ practice facility.

While aware of the trappings that can be found in a city the size of Los Angeles, Donald said he is comfortable sending his teenage son across the country.

“His upbringing and his demeanor, how he carries himself, it already established to us that he could maintain going across the country,� Donald said.

And so long as that remains true, the Lakers can focus on helping the kid transition to playing in a man’s league instead of covering up for his mistakes.

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Twitter: @dylanohernandez