Brandon Ingram was welcomed to the Toronto Raptors at his introductory press conference on Feb. 12 as he officially signed his contract extension with the team.
Ingram first talked about coming to Toronto and embracing a fresh new start.
“At the beginning of the year every time the schedule comes out the first team we mark is Toronto and I don’t think it’s ever for the team, it’s for the city…and also, I just felt that I needed a fresh start. A fresh start somewhere where guys played hard and they listened,” Ingram said.
Ingram was then asked about his new star teammate Scottie Barnes and he had nothing but high praise for the 23-year-old. He said Barnes is defensive first, long and athletic. He was impressed with how Barnes played defense against the Oklahoma City Thunder and said he is a selfless guy who likes to win.
Ingram then talked about joining the Raptors and the expectations moving forward.
“They want to make me an all-star again. I’m going to be a big part of what they do moving forward. I want learn, help make it a winning culture (again),” Ingram said.
It’s still unclear when Ingram will make his Raptors debut. He said he has no timetable for his return from an ankle injury. However, he said he’s done a lot of work on the court and in the weight room and he’s hopeful he will return soon.
The 27-year-old is eager to show everyone that he’s still a great player, despite not playing since Dec. 7.
“I’ve been injured a little bit so I’ve been forgotten a little bit. Coming to Toronto I feel like I have a chance to sprout,” Ingram said.
Ingram also commented on what stood out to him about the city of Toronto.
“The culture, the food and just the different people. It’s a different setting. It’s a high pace and it’s different from New Orleans,” he said.
The Raptors are in a new era of their franchise after they took a big swing and landed Ingram. They now have him locked up for the next couple of seasons as Toronto is hopeful they will compete again soon.
Brandon Ingram agrees to contract extension with Raptors
Brandon Ingram is staying put in Toronto.
Ingram has agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract extension with the Raptors, which includes a player option in 2027-2028, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
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