The Real-Life Diet of Brandon Ingram, the NBA's Most Talented Beanpole

After an up-and-down rookie season playing for a franchise plunging headlong into the post-Kobe Bryant, Brandon Ingram is reminding the world why the Lakers made him the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. The 20-year-old forward trails Kyle Kuzma by less than a point for the team scoring lead, and memorably dueled reigning Finals MVP to a near-draw in a nationally-televised, four-point overtime loss to Durant's Warriors squad in November.

He's also emerged as a voice of reason in the team's locker room, speaking out to keep the team unified when LaVar Ball's disparaging comments about Lakers coach Luke Walton threatened to divide it. And while he saves his best stuff for the hardwood, the man plays basketball so well in a damn suit that it makes you legitimately wonder how the distribution of talents in this world can be so patently unfair.

Another thing about Ingram, who is listed at 6'9" and 190 pounds, presumably soaking wet: He is really, really skinny. So skinny, in fact, that analysis of his spindly frame composed much of his media coverage last year, eventually prompting him to resort to do things like use a smartphone app that buzzed him to eat every few hours. Now, midway through his sophomore campaign, Ingram is a bit less preoccupied with packing on pounds than he used to be, but that same blazing metabolism means he's eating a lot in an effort to better withstand the rigors of a long NBA season.

We sat down with Ingram while he was promoting his partnership with biPro protein powder to hear all about his late-night snacking habits, his love of chicken alfredo, and his takes on the best chicken and waffles money can buy.

GQ: So, at the top of the day, what's usually for breakfast?

Brandon Ingram: Breakfast is probably, like, an omelette with bacon and ham. Hash browns, any kind of toast, and orange juice, too. Then I go right into training for the day. My metabolism is so crazy that all of that will be gone by the first ten minutes of my workout, anyway.

So are you heading straight for food again right after practice is over?

Yeah, that’s probably most important time to eat—the recovery. After you’ve broken down so much, you want to get it right back in. Usually I’m eating at the team facility, and I go for grilled chicken along with rice, or some kind of grain. Then I’ll have a snack about an hour later, like cashew nuts and some fruit. For dinner, I'll have chicken again, or maybe steak. Fish, sometimes, too, though I don't do that as often.

Do you have a favorite pregame meal? Are you a marathoner-style carbo-loader?

Usually it’s pasta. Spaghetti, maybe, and sometimes a chicken breast before a game. I also like to grab a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if I need one.

How about after a game? Is there anything you grab for as a reward, or a cheat dish, or something like that?

I try to get to a restaurant as fast as I can after a game. Sometimes we eat in, but I try to go to a restaurant. We play our home games so late that by the time the game ends, it’s around 10:30 or 11 P.M., so it’s hard to find something open around the Staples Center. If I can, though, I'll find someplace with chicken alfredo. And I’m a big steak guy, so I like trying to find different steakhouses to try. And I’m a big fan of Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles.

So are you treating postgame meals like recovery meals? Is there a lot of adrenaline after games?

Yeah, for sure. Having a late meal like that really helps me get to sleep.

You were the subject of a lot of talk about your attempts to put on weight during your first NBA season. Is that still a big part of your diet? Do you calorie count at all?

I mostly go on whether I feel full or feel like where I need to be. I'm super skinny, so I haven’t gotten into calorie counting yet. I just eat everything until I feel full. My diet is still pretty varied, too. I’m still kind of learning what works, but I’m not trying to lose weight, so I can fill up on whatever I’m eating.

During the summer, what’s the biggest change in your diet wen compared to to how you train during the regular season?

I try to do everything I can to be the best possible condition by the end of the summer. I try to eat the healthiest stuff I can, but also I try to eat a lot of starch, and a lot of carbohydrates. Anything I can do to build my body up. The summer is really when I try to overeat.