Joe Ingles Reaches Career Milestone | Utah Jazz

It may seem normal for the Utah Jazz now, but a Joe Ingles bucket was anything but that at one point.

On a warm October evening in Dallas, Texas in 2014, the Jazz found themselves locked in a fierce battle with the Mavericks. Ingles caught a pass in the corner early in the fourth quarter and calmly sunk a 21-footer — his first career NBA bucket.

Seven years later and Ingles is still knocking down shots, just at a much higher and more efficient rate. With 4:33 left in the third quarter of Monday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, Ingles drilled a 27-foot three-pointer for his 5,000th career point.

Ingles got his start in the NBA after spending the 2014 preseason with the Los Angeles Clippers. He was then signed by the Jazz on October 27, making his debut the next night before scoring his first career points two nights later.

Since then, Ingles has become a fan-favorite of the fans, his teammates, and the media. Almost always with a smile on his face, Ingles is best known for his sarcastic personality and ability to play at a high level.

Never the most athletic player on the court, Ingles combines an extremely high IQ with unbelievable marksmanship from beyond the arc to become one of the NBA’s premier role players. 

Ingles is averaging 8.7 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per game throughout his seven-year career. While those numbers don’t immediately jump off the page, Ingles is a career 45.3% shooter from the field and 41.4% from three-point territory. 

His percentage from beyond the arc is tied for 18th all-time for eligible players, ranking first in Utah history. He’s also Utah’s career leader in made three-pointers, breaking John Stockton’s record on January 29, 2021. That’s why it’s beyond fitting that Ingles’ milestone bucket came from deep. 

Ingles has shined with the Jazz after a very extensive and successful career in Europe.

He began his professional career back in 2006 when he signed with the South Dragons of the National Basketball League in his native Australia, winning the NBL title in 2009.

He then played for Granada of the Liga ACB during the 2009 season before transferring to FC Barcelona and playing for them from 2010-13. He won two Spanish League Championships with FC Barcelona in 2011 and 2012.

He was on the move again in 2013, suiting up for Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv. Led by former NBA coach David Platt, Ingles and Tel Aviv were EuroLeague champions in 2014 — this final time Ingles would suit up in Europe before transferring to the league.

It seems fitting that the same person who got Ingles his first points in the league was on hand to see Ingles reach the career milestone. Gordon Hayward — Ingles’ teammate in Utah from 2014-2017 but now playing for Charlotte — was the player who found Ingles in the corner seven years ago.