I think it’s pretty safe to assume that most, if not all, Raptors fans are counting down to October 22, when the 2025-26 season kicks off against the Atlanta Hawks. But probably the next most important date for Raptors fans is September 29. That’s when 25 NBA teams will gather to discuss their plans, goals, and other questions for Media Day 2025.
The Toronto Raptors were among those teams participating, and when franchise cornerstone Scottie Barnes took the stage, he appeared to be in very good spirits as he spoke to the media.
Barnes would be asked a myriad of questions during the scrum, but I wanted to highlight what the 24-year-old said about the Raptors' new star in town, Brandon Ingram. Raptors reporter Josh Lewenberg asked: "... Darko [Rajakovic] was just in here and he mentioned that, team kind of made a concerted effort to make sure that the projected starting lineup was working out together and playing together over the last few months. In spending that extra time with Brandon [Ingram] over the offseason, what have you learned about him? And now that you've kind of seen it play out a little bit on the court, how do you see that kind of working out, fitting in together?"
Scottie Barnes is high on Brandon Ingram's addition to the Raptors
"I think as we can see, in being around him, you know, he's more of a laidback guy. But you know, he still has a lot of character to him. But on the floor, you know, he's super skilled. He can make any tough shot that's possible. And he's being more of a willing passer where he's able to drive to the rim or drive to his spots and be able to create for others. Throwing those kick out passes. You know, he's been pushing the ball, running in transition. So, being around him, just being able to see how talented he is, you know, he's phenomenal. He can do so many different things on the floor. He's going to help us a lot this year. He's going to demand so much attention."Scottie Barnes, 2025 Raptors Media Day
I think Barnes really nailed it with that answer. It’s no secret that Ingram has that zen, chill character off the court, but as Barnes mentioned, when it comes to what he brings on the court, BI is still a huge asset for any team. I even highlighted that Ingram might be right on the edge of being one of the most underrated players in the NBA lately.
People seem to have overlooked Ingram's capabilities, probably because of how much time he’s spent injured or the perception that he’s not a 'winning' player. But Barnes seems to think pretty highly of his new teammate, which is great. He's forming his opinion based on what he knows about BI’s skills and what he observed during the offseason.
So, Scottie Barnes and the rest of the Raptors will have a pretty crystal clear answer about Brandon Ingram soon enough.