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andre ingram April 11, 2018
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What we can learn from Andre Ingram and his grind to make it in the NBA

Patience is a virtue. We’ve all heard this before. Patience is what separates those who see their dreams all the way through and those who fall short.

Staying true to the grind is the only way to achieve success at its highest honor. After being called up to the Los Angeles Lakers for their last two games of the regular season, it’s no different for G-league veteran — Andre Ingram.

Ingram spent ten years in the NBA G-League. The lethal shooter has spent his last six years with the South Bay Lakers. During his last two seasons in the G-league, Ingram lead all scorers in three-point percentage, making a combined 51.5% of his attempts. Ingram even owns the G-league record for career three-pointers-made with 713.

With those stats it makes one wonder why Ingram didn’t receive a call from the Lakers sooner. Nevertheless, divine timing should never be question.

Tuesday afternoon Andre Ingram’s life would change forever. In what he thought was an exit interview for the South Bay Lakers would turn into a three-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. After a decade of preparation, it was finally time to for Ingram to shine in the Staples Center.

The G-league veteran made his NBA debut against one of the league’s best in the Houston Rockets.

Unphased the grey-haired 32-year-old rookie checked in late during the first quarter. However, his first point wouldn’t come until the 10:49 remaining in the second quarter.

Ingram, like he’s done some many times before in the G-league, buried a three in the face of defender draped all over him.

Ingram would finish the game with 19 points shooting 6-8 from the field, going 4-5 beyond the arc. 11 of his 19 points came in the first 6 minutes!

His Lakers’ teammates and fans alike were jubilant for his success, even chanting “MVP” as he knocked down free throws.

Andre Ingram said:

“From the team warm-ups, the atmosphere was electric. You could feel something in there. MVP chants, that’s just crazy. Like I said, ‘Make the free throw, make the free throw, make the free throw.'”

This feel good story gets even better. For his three day tenure with the Lakers, Ingram is raking in $13,824. Let’s put this into perspective: Ingram’s compensation for the entire 2017-2018 G-League season was $19,000.

I’m sure it would have been easy for Ingram to call it quits on his dream of playing in the NBA.

Ingram tutored students in math and trained youth players for supplemental income just to keep his dream alive while supporting a family.

We can only hope that Ingram gets a chance to play a full season with the LakeShow next season.

Andre Ingram’s relentless grind shows us that if you stick to something and give it your all, eventually it will pay off. It might not be when you want it to happen either — but it will always be the right time.