By Nick Pantages
@nick_pantages22
The 2023-24 athletic year presented Cornelius “CJ” Ingram II with a fascinating decision. Playing for his hometown Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, Fla. the lanky 6-foot-7 Ingram dominated on both the gridiron and the hardwood.
In the fall, he posted 44 total touchdowns and just a shade under 3,000 total yards for the Hornets as a dual-threat quarterback, guiding them to the class 1R state championship. In two seasons as the starter, he was a perfect 25-0 as a starter. Just a couple months later, Ingram averaged 24 points and 8.5 rebounds on the court, guiding Hawthorne to the class 1A semifinals.
That spring, Ingram was forced to make a choice. At 6-foot-6, he possessed the ideal frame to develop into an elite quarterback or basketball player. But in the end, he knew his true love was basketball.
“This past spring, I finally realized what I want to do in my career,” Ingram said. “The decision to put down the football is difficult, especially for a 16-year-old at the time, but I’m pretty sure I made the right decision.”
The decision also may have been even more difficult because of Ingram’s family connections in the sport of football.
His father, Cornelius Sr., was a highly regarded quarterback recruit at the University of Florida, but after struggling to get on the field, transitioned to tight end for his sophomore season. He won a national championship that season, and during his junior season he was a candidate for the John Mackey award, given to the nation’s top tight end.
After sticking around the NFL for four years, Cornelius became Hawthorne’s head football coach in Dec. 2014, and coached CJ for his first three seasons at the school.
But despite Cornelius’ association with football, he never pressured CJ into the sport.
“My dad always knew I was a basketball player,” Ingram said. “He was pretty much encouraging me the whole time that I didn’t have to play football.”
After deciding to focus entirely on basketball this summer, Ingram’s stock skyrocketed. He jumped almost 40 spots in the national rankings and gained a handful of scholarship offers, some from blue blood programs like Kansas.
He transferred to national powerhouse Montverde Academy prior to this season, and he considers it one of the best decisions of his career.
“It was pretty bumpy at the beginning,” Ingram said. “New people, new brand of basketball, but I’m happy I made the decision, being able to be coached by one of the greatest coaches of all time, regardless of level, competing against high-level guys in practice every day and playing on the national stage like this. It’s a great opportunity”
Despite the interest from other schools, Ingram decided to follow in his father’s footsteps in a different way, by committing to the Florida basketball team, where his dad also made 19 appearances his freshman season as a reserve guard.
The proximity from Hawthorne to Gainesville, where the University of Florida is located, made the decision even easier.
“I’ll be able to play my home games right in front of my parents, my friends and my family,” Ingram said.
Headed by coach Todd Golden, Ingram uses his long frame to get to the rim well, and showcased his effort multiple times in a win over Utah Prep, a game in which he won MVP. This effort and intensity is what Ingram wants Florida fans to expect from him next season.
“[They should expect] an exciting two-way player, someone that’s going to compete on defense and bring a lot of excitement to the game.”
Ingram actually still holds his football offer to Florida, and despite it being a “football school” to many despite the basketball program’s myriad successes in the 21st century, Ingram is fully bought into the Gator basketball team.
Photo by Nick Pantages/The Student