Ingram spent a decade in the G League before having an incredible debut in the NBA late this seasonNBAE/Getty Images
WME has signed Lakers G ANDRE INGRAM and will package his "inspirational underdog story ... for a book and potentially for TV or film." Ingram "spent a decade" in the G League before having an "incredible" debut in the NBA late this season, scoring 19 points. The crowd "chanted 'M-V-P,' and Ingram became a national story overnight." Ingram "continues to be repped by longtime business manager ROMONE PENNY at Pursuit Sports Group. WME will "work to expand Ingram's business in areas from film to TV and publishing" (DEADLINE.com, 5/2).
BLOOD MONEY: The DEVOS family, which owns the Magic, was among a group of investors that lost a total of more than $600M invested in "scandal-plagued" Silicon Valley blood-testing company Theranos. The Devos family "invested" $100M, while Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT invested about $1M. The "largest individual investor" was Fox Exec Chair RUPERT MURDOCH. A source said that Murdoch invested $125M in March '15 "only to sell back his shares to the company for one dollar" early last year (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/4).
NAMES: After Chase was granted naming rights for the Warriors' new arena, the team "collaborated with the financial institution to establish the Chase Center Training Program" -- a school "meant to train locals to work in a specific trade and become eligible to be hired by the union." The program is "fostering a genuine mix of inspiration and opportunity" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/3)....Hornets President & Vice Chair FRED WHITFIELD is being inducted on Friday as a member of the North Carolina Sports HOF (Hornets)....Boxing promoter LOU DIBELLA on Thursday spoke to sports marketing and management students at Long Island Univ. as part of an ongoing series called "The Chat." DiBella talked the students in the sports marketing and management courses (LIU)....The J.J. Watt Foundation -- founded in ’10 to “help provide funds and equipment to after-school athletic programs for deserving middle schools -- selected Baytown school as the next recipient.” J.J. WATT headed to Horace Mann Junior High in Goose Creek, Texas, on Wednesday to “provide $9,997 worth of equipment and new uniforms to the soccer, tennis, football, basketball and track teams” (HOUSTONCHRONICLE.com, 5/3)....Buccaneers LB KENDELL BECKWITH is in line to “receive nearly $25,000 from an insurance policy he took out before a knee ligament tear during his last season at LSU likely caused him to be drafted later than expected” (THEADVOCATE.com, 5/3).
