Beloved Former Laker Hoping for Comeback

Could he make it back to the NBA?

Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

All it takes is one opportunity to prove your excellence. Andre Ingram got his chance and caught the attention of the basketball community. 

He played 13 seasons in the G League, fighting for his chance to make a name for himself in the NBA. Once he got the opportunity to play in the NBA, he scored 19 points in his debut in 2018 with the Los Angeles Lakers, making him a hot topic in the league. He proved that he had the talent to be a big name at the NBA-level, but disappeared from the court in 2022. 

Ingram’s sudden departure from the league was largely due to his mother’s cancer diagnosis, according to GTV HOOPS on Instagram. But, now he feels called to make his return to professional basketball.

“I keep getting the call to go back to it. And yeah, and I gotta be honest with myself about that because if I get the call to go the other way, you gotta answer that one too. When you answer a call over the purpose of your life, it’s gonna work out. It may not happen when you think it will, but it will.”

- Andre Ingram, via GTV HOOPS

Ingram will turn 39 years old on November 19. The oldest NBA player was Nat Hickey at 45 years and 363 days old. Most players retire in their mid to late thirties, making his return seem a little late.

“It seems improbable, extremely improbable with every passing season. But this the call on your life, so you’re gonna have to do something. And it's hard to run away from that when you kind of feel that word and you get that confirmation. It's very hard to run away from that.”

- Andre Ingram, via GTV HOOPS

Despite having exited the league as a player, Ingram has remained part of the G League as the current President of the G League’s Players’ Union.

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