Brandon Ingram Makes Unexpected Promise Before First Raptors Season
This past February, the Toronto Raptors landed Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the trade deadline. Furthermore, the one-time NBA All-Star signed a three-year, $120 million contract extension, even though he has yet to suit up for the team.
Advertisement
Ingram suffered an ankle injury back in December while playing for the Pelicans. He did not play in another game the rest of the season. Even so, he is an intriguing addition to Toronto, and it will be exciting to see how well he meshes with their young core.
Recently, Ingram spoke about his expectations for his first season with the Raptors and made a shocking promise in doing so.
Former New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14)© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Though there is a lot to like about the Raptors' roster and their future outlook, the team has not had a lot of success recently. Last season, they finished with a 30-52 record and missed the playoffs for the fourth time in the past five years. However, despite this, Ingram recently made a promise that they will end the drought next season and will "for sure" make the playoffs.
Advertisement
'We're making the playoffs for sure," Ingram said to TSN's John Lewenberg.
Though the Raptors have not been a playoff team for quite some time, they may be able to turn it around next year.
The Eastern Conference, which was already widely considered the weaker one in the league, is now wide-open following Achilles injuries to Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard, who are all expected to miss the entirety of next season.
A deep run is unlikely, but the Raptors may have what it takes to solidify themselves as a playoff team again next year, which would turn Ingram's bold comments to fruition.
Advertisement
Related: Raptors Coach Announces Brandon Ingram Injury Update
Related: Warriors Among Teams Interested in Former Raptors Champion: Report
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2025 NBA rookies: 5 big questions for this year's class, including Cooper Flagg's fit and Yang Hansen's hype
The 2025-26 NBA calendar year is upon us. The draft is over, and so is most of free agency. While some rosters still need tweaking and adjusting, we know for the most part how teams will enter the season. As such, we can start to ponder the big questions, like how the 2025 rookie class — which got its first taste of NBA action during Summer League — will perform in the coming season. How will Cooper Flagg mesh with a roster led by veterans? The Mavericks are in a weird spot, as they feature Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, all in their 30s, and now have to balance that with Flagg, their prized rookie. Whether they believe they have enough to make a title push right now, or hope to win a championship within the next few years, they're going to need Flagg to produce at a near All-Star level in order to turn that dream into reality. Fortunately, despite not turning 19 until December, Flagg is one of the most complete forwards to enter the NBA in a while. Flagg is a 6-foot-9, two-way dynamo who will likely defend at an NBA level right off the bat, just as he'll be able to rebound, push the ball in transition, and score in a role as the secondary or tertiary offensive option. While it's impossible to pencil him in for a certain stat line, Flagg should be, at minimum, a high-end production starter from opening day, making the fit with Davis, Irving (when he returns from injury), Thompson, and D'Angelo Russell much more seamless. Will the Nets have a rookie who pops? The Brooklyn Nets more or less built a brand new starting lineup in the first round of this year's draft, which is impressive in its own right. But looking at each pick individually, you have to wonder if any of the rookies are ready to make a big impact in their debut season. Egor Denim was a reach at No. 8, but the 19-year-old guard has size at 6-8 and ball-handling capabilities to become impactful down the road. Nolan Traoré, the French international, is slight and still an inefficient shooter. Like Denim, he could use a year or two of seasoning before he's ready to contribute. Drake Powell is an athletic monster who could be a defensive ace sooner than later, but his all-around game remains underdeveloped. Danny Wolf, the 6-11 center out of Michigan, is developed but comes with a set ceiling. He's a wonderful play initiator, but can he ever become a solid post player on both sides of the floor? If anything, it's Ben Saraf, the 6-6 wing from Israel who could come in immediately and produce. The lefty guard/wing has a strong tool belt of skills at his disposal, in particular as a passer and as an aggressor when going toward the rim. His solid frame will also help him against NBA defenders. If his shot comes along, there's certainly something there. What role will Dylan Harper play in San Antonio? Remember when the Spurs had basically no point guard during Victor Wembanyama's rookie season? Well, now they're loaded at the position. San Antonio will have to juggle between De'Aaron Fox, Harper, and Stephon Castle, while having to play them at off-guard at times just to fit everyone in. Harper was the second player chosen in last month's draft, and his upside is substantial. He's a big 6-6 guard with a 6-10 wingspan and a developed frame, and he has a game that lends itself well to the NBA via his ability to pressure defenses at the rim, and pass out of screen-and-roll action. If that sounds familiar to what Fox provides, you're not mistaken. Fox, like Harper, is best with the ball in his hands, and offers many of the same attributes. This can have benefits, however, as the Spurs can install a consistent system, which runs regardless of whether it's Fox or Harper on the floor. Most teams have to alter their play calling when they go to their second unit, but the Spurs can run many of the same actions due to the similarities between the two, particularly when Wembanyama is on the floor. Harper, despite the crowded backcourt, should be able to find his way in such a streamlined system. How is Ace Bailey best developed? The Utah Jazz are clearly tanking this coming season, as they shipped away several veterans to open up minutes for the youngsters, which includes Bailey, who will enter this season with the greenest of lights to do, well, whatever. That might prove fruitful, in the sense that Bailey's green light could carry him toward stardom, or it might have the opposite effect of having him lean into empty numbers and become this era's Michael Beasley, which surely isn't the scenario Utah envisioned when it picked him fifth overall. There isn't a set formula, and that's what we all need to remind ourselves of when it comes to Bailey. Some players, like LeBron James, flourished under a green light as a rookie, in large part because he was mature and responsible enough to learn from the mistakes he made along the way. Others, like Jimmy Butler, needed years to get ready despite a long college career, and had to take several steps before they were ready to handle a significant offensive load. Which path is best for Bailey? It could be either of those, or even something in-between. Responsible freedom is, arguably, the best approach to any project, and in the case of Bailey, there has to be communication between him and the coaching staff, where both sides are ready to engage in some give-and-take. Yang Hansen: Question mark? Okay, look. Yang was off the board earlier than virtually everyone expected, but that doesn't mean he'll prove to be a bad pick. NBA teams, for the most part, know what they're doing, and clearly the Blazers felt they needed to grab him early, out of fear someone else would pick him in that same range. Who are we to question that process? If anything, Yang getting picked 16th overall only spices up the regular season, and makes him a particularly interesting player to track across next season. Yang is 7-1, and he hits 3-pointers, blocks shots, rebounds, and passes the ball like a guard. Yet the vast majority of NBA fans and pundits are only somewhat familiar with him — based off the occasional highlight, which would make its way across social media — meaning there are a ton of questions hovering over him as he enters the league. Is he ready to play already? Can he defend in space at the NBA level? Is the 3-point shot legitimate? Are the passes we saw in Summer League something we'll see against real competition? It's going to be enormously fun to find out.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cutting edge: Jets unveil a renovated locker room that includes 92 new lockers and a barbershop
The new-look New York Jets underwent an Extreme Makeover: Locker Room Edition during the offseason. Players such as star wide receiver Garrett Wilson, cornerback Sauce Gardner and new quarterback Justin Fields reporting for the team's training camp Tuesday were arriving at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, New Jersey, to a fully renovated locker room with some state-of-the-art upgrades. In a release on its website, which also included a drone-footage tour, the team announced it added 92 customized lockers along with several other amenities, including a barbershop, a larger sauna and a brightly lit 2,000-pound 3D Jets ceiling logo in the middle of the locker room. The upgrades, which the team said had been in the works for a few years, came after a players poll released by the NFL Players Association in February gave the Jets a D-plus for their locker room, ranking 26th in the league. The team moved into its current facility in 2008. Woody Johnson received an F and was the lowest-ranked owner. The team received an overall ranking of 29th. 'We take pride in having a first-class environment for the players," Robert Mastroddi, the Jets' senior vice president of security and facility operations, told the team's website. "These upgrades will certainly provide more comfort, but they also will help with wellness, efficiency and ultimately performance. There is a commitment to winning and that's where this all derived from.' The Jets, who have the NFL's longest active playoff drought at 14 seasons, have a new general manager in Darren Mougey and head coach in Aaron Glenn. The two revamped the roster this offseason by infusing more youth — moves that included releasing veterans such as Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, C.J. Mosley, Greg Zuerlein and Thomas Morstead. The new lockers, designed by the Texas-based Longhorn Locker Company, have fully automated video screens — the Jets say they're the first pro or college team to have them — that include the players' headshots, names, hometowns and colleges. There also are three separate fans to dry their helmets, shoulder pads and cleats in an effort to reduce moisture and lower risks of staph infections. Mastroddi said the Jets are also the first team to have an on-site barbershop that includes two vintage barber chairs. 'We want to make it comfortable, keep players in the building because they want to be there," Mastroddi said. "We're offering them all the amenities that they would have to go outside to get.' ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
30 minutes ago
- Associated Press
The sexual assault case against 2018 Canada world junior players nears a verdict
LONDON, Ontario (AP) — A judge is set to deliver her verdict Thursday in the sexual assault case in involving five members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, Dillon Dube and Alex Formenton faced a trial after an incident that occurred in London, Ontario, in 2018. What happened? A woman sued Hockey Canada in 2022, alleging she was sexually assaulted by eight members of Canada's world junior team after a fundraising gala in London in 2018. Hockey Canada settled the lawsuit, and then an investigation revealed the organization had two secret funds to pay settlements on claims of sexual assault and abuse. London Detective Sgt. Katherine Dann said in announcing charges in early 2024 that London Police received a call on June 19, 2018, from a relative of the victim and launched an investigation. That was closed in 2019 with no charges. The 2022 suit, which sought $3.55 million in damages and was dropped after reaching the settlement with Hockey Canada, led to police reopening the investigation and charges against five members of the team. The NHL launched its own investigation in 2022. Officials pledged to release the findings, though Commissioner Gary Bettman said in February that would depend on what the league can say given legal proceedings. The woman testified in May that she was naked, drunk and scared when four of the men showed up unexpectedly in her room at the Delta Hotel London Armouries in the early morning hours of June 19, 2018, and felt the only 'safe' option was to do what they wanted. Prosecutors contend the players did what they wanted without taking steps to ensure she was voluntarily consenting to sexual acts. Defense attorneys cross-examined her for days and suggested she actively participated in or initiated sexual activity because she wanted a 'wild night.' Who was charged? Hart, formerly of the Philadelphia Flyers; McLeod and Foote, formerly of the New Jersey Devils; Dube, formerly of the Calgary Flames; and ex-NHL player Alex Formenton, who had been playing in Europe with Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta, were charged with sexual assault. McLeod is facing an additional charge of being a party to the offense of sexual assault. All five pleaded not guilty. None is on an NHL roster or has an active contract with a team in the league. Hart was the Flyers' No. 1 goaltender, while McLeod and Dube were regulars. Foote, a defenseman and son of former NHL player Adam Foote, primarily spent this past season in the American Hockey League. Formenton played in 109 games for the Ottawa Senators from 2017 through 2022 before going to Europe. What's next? Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia is solely responsible for handing down a ruling in the case after dismissing the jury in May, following a complaint that defense attorneys were laughing at some of the jurors. Carroccia said she had not seen any behavior that would cause her concern but concluded the jury's negative impression of the defense could impact their impartiality, a problem that could not be remedied. Possible fallout? There is a wide range of outcomes if any of the men are found guilty, with sentences in Canada for varying degrees of sexual assault ranging from no mandatory minimum up to 10 years in prison. It was not immediately clear whether the players would be able to return to the NHL if they are found not guilty. Bettman has said the league will let the legal case play out before taking any steps. Whatever the judge decides, Bettman has wide latitude to make decisions in the interest of the game when it comes to off-ice behavior. The league in 2019 suspended Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov for the 2019-20 season and ensuing playoffs after determining he committed acts of domestic violence. Shane Pinto was suspended for 41 games for violating the league's gambling policy. There is an appeals process through the NHL Players' Association and an arbitrator jointly hired by the league and union to rule on disputes, when necessary. Hockey Canada, meanwhile, has lost several sponsors, including Nike, and its CEO and board resigned in 2022 in the wake of this and other scandals. ___ AP hockey:
