Toronto Raptors: 5 things we’ll remember most from Serge Ibaka

Serge Ibaka’s departure to the Los Angeles Clippers will certainly leave us feeling sorrow. But we have to remember everything he has done for the Toronto Raptors.

Losing Serge Ibaka to the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi certainly feels like a stab in the back. Although we can’t dwell on the past forever, we can do so momentarily. It’s time to reminisce about everything Ibaka has done for the Toronto Raptors.

Serge Ibaka has done so much for Toronto and the Raptors. More so off the court than on the court, and that’s what makes Ibaka’s departure so difficult to grasp. You can always replace a player’s productivity in some manner, but you cannot replace all the things Ibaka has done off the court. Which is what makes him so special.

5. Scarves, Scarves, Scarves

Who wore it first? Ibaka or Anunoby? How sweet was life when this was our biggest issue.

Ibaka took the (fashion?) league by storm when he wore his extremely large scarf to a game between the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors.  A game where Serge’s scarf would turn out to be only the second most impressive thing of the night. The Raptors would squeeze a win behind Ibaka’s game-winning three, which put them ahead 119-118 to win the game.

Ibaka would eventually share that fashion with his teammates. Gifting his teammates’ oversized scarves following the team’s 15th win in a row. A real class-act from Serge who has been in the scarf game for 10 years now (or at least he says).

With the warm weather in LA, and Toronto playing in Tampa, it is doubtful we get to see Ibaka wear scarves as he did before. This makes the Raptors one of two victims with Ibaka leaving, the scarf world being the second.

4. Ibaka’s Game 7 performance against the Toronto Raptors-Philadelphia 76ers series

This game will forever be remembered for only one reason. Kawhi’s ludicrous buzzer-beater shot that bounced four times before going in — the first-ever buzzer-beater winner in a game 7 match. But what people will fail to remember is the impact Serge Ibaka had that night. If not for Ibaka, the Raptors don’t win Game 7 and they’d ultimately fail to win the championship.

Ibaka put up 17 points, making 6 out of his 10 shots. He had the team’s second-most points and also had four huge offensive rebounds that translated to a couple of second-chance points. Points that would make all the difference at the end of the game.

What will be most remembered of the Toronto Raptors championship is the impact each and every Raptor player had. For Fred VanVleet, it was his performance against the Bucks. For Kyle Lowry, how can we forget how he scored the team’s first 11 points in Game 6 against the Warriors.

For Serge Ibaka, Game 7 against the 76ers was his big moment. A game where everyone failed to get it going, except for Ibaka and of course Kawhi.

That was his big moment in the Raptors playoff run, and it’s one we’ll never forget.

3. Ibaka leaves as Toronto Raptors best-ever entertainer

Was there a funnier player than Serge Ibaka? OG Anunoby might give him a run for his money, but Ibaka was by far the team’s top entertainer. From his dances, cooking shows, fashion shows, and character on the court. There was no one who put a smile on our faces more than Serge.

Serge also helped us feel connected to the team. Watching Raptors players appear on his cooking channel “How hungry are you?“  finally gave us a connection to our own players. His fashion rivalry with the all-serious OG Anunoby let us know that OG can sometimes joke around — I hope we see more of it. We also saw him get Kawhi out of his box a little.  Something that seemed like an inconceivable task.

With Serge gone, we will be considered lucky if a new player takes up the job of connecting us with our favorite players. At the moment, we can only hope.

2. Ibaka hands Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy to Kyle Lowry

This was an all-around class act from Serge Ibaka.

After the Toronto Raptors championship, Ibaka knew without hesitation who had to hoist the trophy first. Kyle Lowry was the player who went through it all with the Toronto Raptors. The embarrassing playoff bounces, the LeBronto regime, seeing DeRozan go. Since day one, Lowry has been there from the get-go. He has symbolized the Raptors’ grit and has been a leader the whole way through.

That’s why seeing Ibaka hand the trophy to Kyle first was so poetic. Ibaka may be the funniest Raptors’ player ever, but let’s not forget he is also one of the classiest. A player that respects the players and staff around him, and a player that’ll defend his team at all costs. We’re truly going to miss seeing these types of situations with Ibaka.

1. Ibaka’s love for Toronto

Ibaka has always shown the love he’s had for the city of Toronto and the Toronto Raptors organization.

"“I’ve lived in many cities but there’s nothing like Toronto. Having had the journey I’ve had, I have no doubt that off the court Toronto is one of the best cities in the league for a player. And on the court? Well, there’s really an advantage playing here in front of our home crowd. I believe we have the best fans in the league. We had the best home record in the regular season and that’s mostly because of them. I really believe they can make a difference in the playoffs.”"

Since the day he’s stepped foot in Toronto after arriving from the Orlando Magic in 2017, Ibaka has been vocal about his love for Toronto — with the only other player showing that same amount of love being DeRozan.

There’s not much else to add to this, having a player embrace the city of Toronto like no other is always amazing to see. We’ll miss a lot from Ibaka, but seeing how well he fit in the city of Toronto will forever be extraordinary.

He has done so much for us, so it’ll only be fitting if I let Ibaka close out the article with his farewell.

Thank you Serge. Merci Serge. Forever a Raptor.