When Brandon Ingram first arrived in Toronto after the Raptors aggressively pursued him at the 2025 trade deadline, his first order of business was to introduce himself to Raptors Nation. That happened in an press conference right after he signed a three-year contract extension with the team in February. But this press conference was a bit different. Ingram, dressed in a suit, sat next to then-Raptors GM and now Raptors head honcho Bobby Webster to address the media.
Fast forward to Monday's Raptors Media Day festivities, and it was the first time the media got to talk with Ingram, who had on his new red and black threads. It felt like a step closer to the Ingram era really taking shape, and we're less than a month from that happening.
Ingram would talk about various topics during his media day scrum, but one answer in particular stood out to me. When asked a question, the "Notorious B.I.3" gave a shout-out to the passionate Raptors fans, while also seeming to take a subtle dig at his previous home of New Orleans. Ingram was asked by a reporter: "... It's been about six months, give or take, since you've been in Toronto. Just wanted to know what was the most surprising thing you've learned about Toronto or some of your favorite moments you've had already."
Here's what Ingram had to say in response:
Brandon Ingram shouts out the passionate Raptors fans
"The most impressive thing for me, is seeing every seat in the arena filled up. Every single game. No matter winning or losing, just seeing everybody there. It was, that's definitely different from New Orleans. Having every seat filled and everybody showing love whether we're down or up. That was very consistent."Brandon Ingram, Raptors Media Day 2025
Now, obviously, for a player at a media day to just say the nice things back to the media is the safest PR move, especially since Ingram is new to the team and all. But I think BI highlights something really defining about the Raptors fanbase that sets them apart from others.
Don't get me wrong, fickle fans exist everywhere, no matter the franchise or sport.
But even putting my hometown biases aside, you can count on a loud, passionate crowd showing up in Toronto for a Raptors game — whether they’re facing a powerhouse like the Lakers or Warriors, or a less glamorous matchup against say, the Hornets or Wizards.
For Ingram to say that he's not used to seeing that, especially considering his lengthy stint in New Orleans — which included a few bright seasons along with some grim campaigns — really highlights that Toronto has a dedicated basketball fanbase. Just as passionate as any other team’s supporters. I can also account that for many Toronto games, particularly those that some fans might see as less important or even meaningless, you'll still find plenty of families, kids, and passionate fans excited just to see their team and players give it their all on the court.
It's really awesome to see how much Brandon Ingram values his new adopted home in Toronto.