Duke’s Brandon Ingram declares for the NBA draft

Brandon Ingram did Monday what most everyone was expecting -- declared for the NBA draft after just one season at Duke.

“On one hand, one year at Duke isn’t a very long time. I know that,” Ingram wrote in an article posted on the Players’ Tribune that announced his intention. “But I’ve done a lot of growing, and growing up, in that time.”

Ingram is expected to be one of the top two picks in the draft. The 6-foot-9 swingman averaged 17.3 points this season, the third highest ever by a Duke freshman, and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s freshman of the year.

“Brandon Ingram was a special player at Duke this year, and his best basketball is still ahead of him,” Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He is a no-maintenance player who loves the game, has a strong desire to get better and competes every time he steps on the floor.”

Ingram will be the ninth player to leave Duke after his freshman season. All eight of the others were chosen in the first round and all but Tyus Jones last year were lottery picks.

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