Brandon Ingram Bio
Brandon Xavier Ingram (born September 2, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. He was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and became a first-time NBA All-Star and was named the NBA Most Improved Player in 2020 during his first season with the Pelicans. Ingram had a successful high school career in North Carolina, where he won state titles each of his four years and was named North Carolina’s Mr. Basketball. He played one season of college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, where he was named Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year. After the season, Ingram decided to forgo his remaining college eligibility and declared for the NBA draft. He played three seasons with the Lakers before being traded to New Orleans in 2019 in a package for All-Star Anthony Davis.
Early Life and Background
Brandon Ingram was born on September 2, 1997, in Kinston, North Carolina. He is the son of Donald and Joann Ingram. He has two half-siblings, an older brother, Donovan, and an older sister, Brittany. Ingram’s father started his career as a police officer and a manager of a local gym, but he is now full-time at a welding plant, where he makes forklifts. When he moved back home to Kinston, his father started playing pickup games with a young Jerry Stackhouse, who was looking to play locally against older and more experienced players to help him elevate his game. Stackhouse, an ex-NBA star and Kinston native, forged a friendship with Ingram’s father on the court. While Ingram grew up in a one-story house on Highland Avenue in Kinston, his brother Donovan grew up in a different house but would spend weekends with Brandon, teaching him basketball. Kinston had an extremely high crime rate, but Ingram kept his focus on basketball. Before Ingram was a teenager, his brother allowed him to play with him and his older friends. He described this experience as “the best thing that ever happened to my game”. His brother, known as Bo, went on to play college basketball for South Plains College and UT Arlington. By the time Brandon reached eighth grade, Stackhouse became Ingram’s Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach and mentored the young basketball player. Those influences “took me to the next level”, said Ingram, whose foundation as a player came from his father. Ingram played all four years of his high school basketball career at Kinston High School and helped lead Kinston to four straight state championships during his time there.
Path to Basketball
During his freshman year at Kinston, Ingram came off the bench on the varsity basketball team but gradually increased his role. In his first year with the Kinston Vikings, the team defeated Cuthbertson High School by three points to win the 2012 North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 2A boys basketball state championship. As a sophomore, Kinston defeated Cuthbertson for the second year in a row to win the 2A state title, and Ingram averaged 12.4 points per game. Prior to the start of Ingram’s junior year, he began to show improvement during the summer while playing AAU basketball. After shining for the Stackhouse Elite team, the 6-foot-7-inch junior entered the year with high expectations and received a large amount of attention from college coaches who were lined up to recruit Ingram to a Division I school. In his junior year, Ingram led the Kinston Vikings to their third consecutive NCHSAA 2A state title, where he scored 28 points to go along with 16 rebounds against North Rowan. During the season, the Vikings went undefeated in their conference with a 26–4 overall record while Ingram averaged 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.5 assists per game and was named Eastern Regional Most Valuable Player. After his junior year, Ingram participated in the NBPA Top 100 Camp and later that summer, instead of playing for an AAU tournament, he decided to compete with his high school team at the annual East Coast Invitational.
Brandon Ingram Career
Early Career (2016–2019)
On June 23, 2016, Ingram was selected with the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. Being only 18 years old at the time, he was the second-youngest player drafted that year. On August 23, 2016, he signed his rookie-scale contract with the Lakers. He made his debut for the Lakers in their season opener on October 26, 2016, scoring nine points off the bench in a win over the Houston Rockets. On November 23, in his first career start, Ingram scored a then-career-high 16 points in a loss to the Golden State Warriors. He topped that mark on December 2, scoring 17 points in a loss to the Toronto Raptors. During the NBA All-Star Weekend, he participated in the Rising Stars Challenge along with teammate D’Angelo Russell. At the season’s end, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Breakthrough (2019–2020)
On July 6, 2019, the Lakers traded Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart to the New Orleans Pelicans for All-Star Anthony Davis. On November 4, 2019, Ingram recorded a then-career high by scoring 40 points in a loss against the Brooklyn Nets. On January 16, 2020, he bested that career high, scoring 49 points in a win over the Utah Jazz. He became an NBA All-Star in his first year as a Pelican and was named the NBA Most Improved Player after averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. After becoming a restricted free agent in the 2020 offseason, Ingram re-signed with the Pelicans on a five-year, $158 million contract.
Notable Works and Milestones
Ingram’s signature achievements include being named an NBA All-Star and winning the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2020. He has also been recognized for his contributions to the game with multiple high-scoring games and significant performances in playoff situations.
Brandon Ingram Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Brandon Ingram has received several nominations, including being named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2017 and earning the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2020.
Brandon Ingram Awards Won
Brandon Ingram has won notable awards during his career, including the NBA All-Star selection in 2020 and the NBA Most Improved Player award in the same year. He has also been recognized as North Carolina’s Mr. Basketball and earned accolades during his college career at Duke.
Brandon Ingram Family
Brandon Ingram is the son of Donald and Joann Ingram. He has two half-siblings, an older brother, Donovan, and an older sister, Brittany. His family has played a significant role in his development as a basketball player.
Personal Life
As of 2025, Brandon Ingram is in a relationship with rapper Glorilla. He has signed endorsement deals with Adidas and has been involved in various promotional campaigns throughout his career.
