Andre Ingram, 32-year-old rookie, gets "MVP" chants with record-breaking NBA debut
LOS ANGELES -- Chris Paul warmly greeted Andre Ingram when the 32-year-old guards both arrived at the Staples Center scorers' table to check in. Although they were born six months apart, Paul was in his 892nd regular-season game, while Ingram was making his NBA debut.
"I told him I heard about his story, and that grind is unbelievable," Paul said. "I told him, 'Much respect.' I mean, 10 years grinding in the G League, to finally get an opportunity and to play like that, it's pretty special."
After a decade in the minors, Ingram seized the chance to live his long-deferred dream by scoring 19 points for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Rockets kept steamrolling toward the playoffs with their 31st victory in 34 games - but everybody was watching Ingram, the slim shooter with salt-and-pepper hair who hit four 3-pointers for the Lakers in an NBA debut that would have been undeniably impressive even if he hadn't been waiting his entire professional life for it.
Ingram had the highest-scoring NBA debut someone over the age of 30, according to NBC sports reporter Dan Feldman.
"It was excellent," Ingram said with a broad grin. "Once we went out as a team for warmups, I just felt some electricity out there. It was amazing. The crowd, the lights, it was just once in a lifetime. It was awesome."
Los Angeles promoted Ingram from its South Bay affiliate for the final two games of another dismal Lakers regular season, and the G League's career leader in 3-pointers hit a 3 on his first NBA shot.
"I tried not to think about the first one going down," Ingram said. "But to a man, everyone was like, 'When you get it, just let it go!' All the players, all the coaches. It was crazy. To see that first one go in, I felt great."
After a few more baskets, the sellout crowd moved from charitable support to full-throated roars, including chants of "M-V-P!" that brought a smile to Ingram's face. Ingram had flown his wife and two daughters in from Virginia to watch the culmination of their work.
"To play the way he played, that's the stuff that dreams are made of," said Lakers center Brook Lopez, who scored 12 points. "Just an inspirational story. He belonged out there."
Ingram's fourth 3-pointer with 51 seconds left trimmed Houston's lead to 102-99, but the Lakers couldn't score again. Ingram finished 6 for 8 from the field and 4 for 5 on 3-pointers along with three rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal.
"That's a testament to hard work, never giving up, and just sticking with it," said Julius Randle, who scored 17 points.
Last month, Scott Foster, a 36-year-old accountant, made headlines when he made a successful debut as a goaltender with the Chicago Blackhawks.
