Being the only current NBA franchise in Canada, the Toronto Raptors haven’t always had a history of star players willing to play for the team.
But newly acquired forward Brandon Ingram — a 2020 NBA All-Star — is planning on changing that perception, having just joined the franchise in a high-profile trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
And though he’s yet to play a game for the franchise, Ingram is already clearly a big fan of his new home.
“At the beginning of the year, every time the schedule comes out, the first team I circle is Toronto. It’s never for the team, It’s always for the city,” Ingram said in his introductory press conference at Scotiabank Arena.
“I just knew I needed a fresh start, the first start, somewhere where guys played hard, and, you know, they listened. And I heard good things about Scottie [Barnes]. I heard good things about [Immanuel] Quickley… I thought it was a good fit offensively and defensively.”
Ingram then expanded on what his favourite components of the city were.
“The culture, the food, and just the different people, just like a different setting, it’s a high pace, and it’s just different from New Orleans.”
While he might not have spilled any state secrets about Toronto, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic revealed that Ingram told him over a two-hour conversation that he’s a big fan of the city’s oxtail, a common dish in the Jamaican food scene.
Ingram is currently nursing an ankle injury, so it’ll have to wait a while before he figures out his on-court fit with the team. But with a shiny new $120 million contract extension officially signed today, Raptors fans should have plenty of chances to eventually see their new star in action.
“I think it was an exciting day when we traded for him, but maybe more exciting to ink Brandon to a long-term extension here. Brandon wanted to be here. I know we’ve been big fans of his for many years, dating back to his high school and college days,” general manager Bobby Webster said.
“We’re very fortunate to bring him on board. It’s an important step as we rebuild this roster, continue to add talent to the core here.”
