As LeBron James spoke to reporters in front of his corner locker on Thursday night, a Lakers staffer did her best to keep the expansive ring of media members from encroaching into the space of Brandon Ingram as he attempted to dress just two stalls away.



While Ingram screwed diamond studs into his ears and pulled on a black sweatshirt, James addressed the topic of the night — which happened to be the 21-year-old teammate to his left.



Ingram had just scored 31 points to carry the Lakers to a 128-123 preseason win over the Sacramento Kings. James called him “a very special talent” with a “ton of upside.”



“I know what I see in him,” James said, “and he’s looking for this opportunity to make this next jump in his third year.”



When the Lakers retrofitted their Staples Center locker room over the summer to coincide with James’ arrival, Ingram was the only player given a locker along the back...