In the final minutes of the Pelicans-Pistons game in Detroit at the Little Caesars Arena, former All-Star Brandon Ingram was ejected.
This was Ingram's first ejection of the season and third for his career, one that spans 350 regular-season games to this point. Given the time remaining and the point differential, no harm was done but the call went viral.
Here's the play - a block - or rather the ensuing reaction that earned Ingram his second technical of the game which lead to an ejection.
BI got ejected for this celebration following a block on Frank Jackson 😳 pic.twitter.com/BDTfJvFViX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 2, 2022
At first glance, awarding Ingram a technical foul for taunting another player is a no-brainer and an easy call for the official. However, this seemed different as the call had all players on the court seeing the funny side of things.
There was history between both players.
"I thought Frank [Jackson] was going to have my back," Ingram said postgame jokingly. "I thought he was going to tell the refs that we were homies. He didn't tell them."
For context, the Pelicans broadcast knew what was going on.
Brandon Ingram was ejected from tonight's game for "taunting" former teammate Frank Jackson after a block 😅#WBD pic.twitter.com/736jNy9FKC
— Bally Sports New Orleans (@BallySportsNO) February 2, 2022
Ingram and Jackson were teammates on the Pelicans during the 2019-20 season, with Jackson joining the Pistons the following season.
The duo are also linked with their basketball before the NBA, having played at Duke. Jackson played for the Blue Devils a year after Ingram represented them.
At the final buzzer of this game, the Pelicans were victorious 111-101 with Ingram scoring a game-high 26 points and helping the team snap a four-game losing streak.
