Thunder Draft Report: North Carolina's Harrison Ingram

The Oklahoma City Thunder could benefit from a wing like Harrison Ingram who fits their system with his playmaking flashes.

March 21, 2024, Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Harrison Ingram (55) dribbles / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Despite battling for a top spot in the Western Conference, the OKC Thunder still have an absorbent amount of picks, including a projected lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Let’s take a look at Harrison Ingram and how he would fit in the Thunder system. 

Draft Profile 

• Height: 6'7
• Weight: 230
• Wingspan: N/A
• Age: 21
• School: North Carolina

Quick Scouting Report

The North Carolina forward fits the Oklahoma City Thunder's play style as a lengthy playmaker who can plug in at a multitude of positions while possessing high-end defensive upside.

Strengths and Weakness

Strengths

He can make every pass and truly engineer an offense as a table settle. No matter if you want to use him as a high-post playmaker or give him chances to run the pick-and-roll he can thrive as a passer.

Ingram understands the art of rebounding. From being willing to mix it up physically down-low to body positioning and timing bounces, the Tar Heel is able to pull down over eight boards per contest.

Defensively, he will only get better at the next level. He plays the passing lanes well, jumps screens, and can even defend at the rim in a pinch. Ingram is the type of player you feel comfortable switching all around the court which makes him a fit for the modern game. If nothing else, Ingram will compete, be in the right spot, and contest jumpers. With the prolific scorers in the NBA, that is half the battle.

Ingram is shooting 39 percent on catch-and-shoot chances, if that can translate to the next level with his defensive ability, he instantly becomes an impact player off the bench.

Weaknesses

There are real concerns about his shot. While the jumper itself looks clean, he has only seen one season's worth of production. While the Tar Hell is shooting 38 percent from distance this season, his free throw percentage has not seen a massive leap resting at 61 percent still below the 70 percent benchmark used to judge shooting touch.

While Ingram can set others up with ease, he is not a "go get you a bucket" forward despite his size. He struggles to create space off the dribble due to his average handle and lack of a quick first step.

He struggles in transition as he can not be used as a trailer to knock in trey ball consistently but also doesn't run the floor hard enough consistently. Part of that is due to his primary focus being to crash the glass on the defensive end limiting him.

He doesn't finish through contact as well as his frame suggests that he should, shooting just 53 percent at the rim. The lack of touch and body control is concerning and you have to wonder if it can be taught.

Along with those rim struggles, he has to improve as an off-ball cutter. He has the soft hands to pull in feeds but cannot turn them into points at times. However, part of this flaw is a mix of small sample size and the cramped spacing in the college game.

Availability

• Draft Digest: 58 
• Ringer Guide: 46
• ESPN Mock: 44
• The Athletic: N/A
• Bleacher Report: 58
• CBS: N/A
• Draft Net: 50
• Tankathon: 51

Thunder Fit

Future Role 

Ingram would be a high-impact rotational player right out of the gate. Between his ability to make every pass, creativity with the ball in his hands, rebounding ability, motor and lock down potential on the defensive end of the floor he checks all the boxes for Oklahoma City.

While he will never turn into an All-Star or better player, he can carve out a stellar swing-starter role as one of the best bench options in the association.

Rotation Fit 

Ingram would slot into Mark Daigneault's rotation in the same line as an Aaron Wiggins role as of this moment. However, if the 3-point shot comes around, you could quickly see Ingram become one of the Thunder's bench bosses' favorite weapons.

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