We all know how crucial this upcoming season is for the Toronto Raptors, and it's not just because of the tough stretch of games scheduled in the opening weeks of the 2025-26 campaign.
In a sense, this year has a lot riding on the line that will either make or break the outlook of the entire franchise moving forward. With all the recent moving pieces, from the departure of famed executive Masai Ujiri to the pivot into the Bobby Webster era under the backing of controversial MLSE ownership, and the high-stakes gamble that is Brandon Ingram's addition to this squad — indeed, "heavy is the head that wears the crown," as the saying goes.
And it's the questions around Ingram that have a ton of fans and pundits alike engaged in chatter, because whether Toronto will admit it or not, their decision to lock him down to a rather costly extension is proof that he's undoubtedly one of the Raptors' go-to (if not, the) go-to, guy for the foreseeable future.
Brandon Ingram's time to shine with Raptors is either "now or never"
On a recent edition of The Kevin O'Connor Show for Yahoo Sports, the basketball and draft guru touched on the Ingram point as he and guest Trey Kerby discussed NBA teams that nobody believes in and some League Pass darlings, as they put it. The Raptors fell into that category, and rightfully so.
"[Brandon] Ingram making $38 million this year, $40 million next year, $42 million the year after that on a player option. And so with Ingram, like it's now or never, dude. Like, it's now or never. You need to put it together. You need to be consistent. You need to be a guy who's willing to do the things that are necessary to play winning basketball. Being consistent on defense, taking three-pointers, please. Like you're capable of doing it. You just need to want to do it."Kevin O'Connor, Aug 26, 2025
I do think it's a little easier said than done to just demand or call for (x) player to do something special, but considering the stakes that come with Brandon Ingram, it’s no surprise how many NBA analysts are laser-focused on him either being the turning point for Toronto's fortunes or the stake in the heart that will ultimately kill the vision outright. I think O'Connor's use of "now or never" pretty much sums up what Ingram's expectations are like and reflects the Raptors' current outlook perfectly — there isn't much to satisfy in between.
Although, at the end of the day, we're just on the outside looking in; it's the players who will ultimately solve these issues and answer the questions. We've had plenty of time to consider Brandon Ingram, pondering all the what-ifs and imagining both the best-case and worst-case scenarios.
As long as Ingram stays healthy and stays on the court for extended periods, I have little doubt that he won't succeed; like O’Connor said, he’s "capable of doing it," but Ingram must prove he can overcome adversity and push through.