Pelicans announce signings of Brandon Ingram, Kira Lewis, Wenyen Gabriel, Willy Hernangómez

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has re-signed forward Brandon Ingram. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Brandon Ingram has earned this contract extension by virtue of everything he has accomplished that is visible, but we are grateful to be able to deliver it to him because of everything he has done that has remained largely hidden to those outside this organization,” said Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin. “His tireless work-ethic and dedication to his craft are matched only by his desires to help deliver long-term success for his team, our fan base and the communities he lives in.”

Ingram, 6-7, 190, who was acquired by New Orleans in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, is coming off his best professional season in 2019-20, earning his first All-Star Game selection and winning the 2019-20 NBA Most Improved Player Award. In 62 games last season, Ingram averaged career-highs highs in multiple categories including points (23.8 – ranked 14th in NBA), rebounds (6.1), assists (4.2) and steals (0.9). Entering the season, Ingram held career averages of 13.9 points, 2.9 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 0.6 steals. The Duke University product also saw a major improvement in both three-point shooting as well as at the free throw line. Entering the season a career .329 shooter from beyond the arc on 0.7 makes and 2.0 attempts, Ingram shot .391 from three-point range on the season, increasing both his makes (2.4) and attempts (6.2) per contest. At the free throw line, Ingram entered the season with a career .662 shooting percentage, including a .675 shooting percentage last season, and increased his mark to .851 from the charity stripe in 2019-20. The improvement at the free throw line is the third largest year-over-year in NBA history (min. 250 FTA).

Selected second overall out of Duke University in the 2016 NBA Draft, Ingram has appeared in 252 career games with the Lakers and Pelicans, holding averages of 16.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

PELICANS SIGN KIRA LEWIS JR.

November 30, 2020

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed rookie guard Kira Lewis Jr., who was selected in the first round (13th overall) of the 2020 NBA Draft out of the University of Alabama. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Lewis, 6-3, 165, is coming off a sophomore campaign where he led the Crimson Tide in scoring (18.5 ppg), assists (5.2 apg), steals (1.81 spg) and minutes (37.6 mpg) en route to earning All-SEC First Team honors. In addition to leading Alabama in multiple categories, Lewis’ scoring average ranked fourth in the SEC, while his assist and steal averages both ranked third in the conference.

During his freshman season, the Meridianville, Alabama native became the youngest Division I player during the 2018-19 season at just 17 years old, and averaged 13.5, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists on his way to being named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. In 65 career collegiate games, Lewis averaged 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals, and is one of just two players in program history to record a triple-double.

PELICANS SIGN WEYNEN GABRIEL AND WILLY HERNANGÓMEZ

November 30, 2020

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed free agent forward Wenyen (WHEN-yin) Gabriel and center Willy Hernangómez (hair-NAHN-gomez). Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

“We are very pleased to add Willy and Wenyen to our Pelicans family,” said Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin. “The all-out desire, grit and toughness they play with was critical for us and we feel both players possess real upside for us moving forward.”

Gabriel, 6-9, 200, appeared in 30 games with Sacramento and Portland during his rookie season in 2019-20, averaging 2.1 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per contest. Undrafted in 2018 out of the University of Kentucky, the native of Khartoum, Sudan, has appeared in 49 games with the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League, posting averages of 11.4 points on .505 shooting from the floor, 7.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 blocks.

Hernangómez, 6-11, 250, most recently played for the Charlotte Hornets, appearing in 31 games during the 2019-20 season, averaging 6.1 points on .532 shooting from the floor, and 4.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per contest. Selected 35th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, the native of Madrid, Spain, has appeared in 209 career regular season games with New York and Charlotte, holding averages of 6.9 points on .531 shooting from the field, 5.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 14.4 minutes.