Brandon Ingram appears to have gone on sabbatical this NBA offseason.
The New Orleans Pelicans forward looked nearly unrecognizable in a new photo of him that made the rounds online this week. Ingram had grown out both the hair on his head as well as his facial hair.
Here is the photo, which was reposted by Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
https://twitter.com/KevinOConnorNBA/status/1560797075159261190
The viral photo may have been slightly edited though, as another picture emerged of Ingram in the same setting looking a little less scruffy.
Pic was edit. But not by much pic.twitter.com/OytmTZaNlk
— edwin avila (@edwin_avila13) August 20, 2022
Any efforts to channel Denzel Washington in “He Got Game” aside, Ingram is coming off a season where he was the big dog on the porch in New Orleans. He put up 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and a career-high 5.6 assists per game, getting rewarded with his first career playoff berth for his efforts.
It is unclear if Zion Williamson’s expected return next year will change that. But at least when it comes to his style, that is quite the transformation for the 24-year-old Ingram from what he looked like entering the league.
