CHICAGO (February 22, 2021) – Donte Ingram, who starred on Loyola University Chicago's men's basketball team that reached the NCAA Final Four in 2018, has signed a professional contract with the Nelson Giants in the National Basketball League (NBL) in New Zealand. The 6-foot-6 guard spent the last two years playing in the NBA G League and will be playing overseas for the first time in his professional career.
 
Last season, Ingram played for the Greensboro Swarm in the NBA G League and averaged 4.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 2019-20. He played the 2018-19 campaign with the G League's Texas Legends.
 
"I can't wait to get to New Zealand and play for the Giants," Ingram said. "This is a great opportunity for me to get a taste of basketball outside of America. I've heard nothing but good things about the New Zealand league and this is another step in my pro career."
 
During his four-year career at Loyola, Ingram racked up 1,235 points and 688 rebounds, helping the Ramblers to the 2015 College Basketball Invitational (CBI) title and the 2018 NCAA Final Four. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Championship and was a Second Team All-MVC pick as a senior in 2017-18, contributing 11.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. His buzzer-beating three-pointer to defeat Miami in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament propelled Loyola on its run through the postseason. 
 
"Donte is a really high-quality pro, having come through a successful NCAA college program and having played two years in the NBA G League since graduating," Giants head coach Michael Fitchett said in a release on the team's website. "He can shoot the hell out of the ball and also slash to the basket. We will look for him to create for us and make the game easier for the rest of our team."
 
Ingram will head to New Zealand next month and quarantine before joining the Giants in Nelson. The team tips off the season on April 26 against the Southland Sharks.