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TORONTO – Brandon Ingram had plenty to reflect on before he trotted onto the court at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
His strong 33-point performance in the Toronto Raptors’ 123-107 victory against the Chicago Bulls just happened to come on the one-year anniversary of his trade to Canada from the New Orleans Pelicans.
“Yeah, my brother mentioned the anniversary when I was talking to him,” the 28-year-old Ingram said. “But I also thought about my great aunt. It would have been her birthday (on Friday).”
Leatha Smith had a massive impact on Ingram’s development as a youngster. She raised him for seven years in North Carolina. She passed away in the summer before his freshman season at Duke University.
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But Ingram not only thinks about his great aunt on her birthday, but also at Christmas time. She gifted him his first mobile phone in one of their last holiday seasons together.
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“I think about her a lot,” Ingram said. “She raised me for seven years. I know she’s looking down at me, and she is proud of me.”
Tattooed on the back of his bicep is the quote, “Fear of suffering is far worse than suffering itself.” The words are from Brazilian philosopher Paulo Coelho in his book, The Alchemist. This became a mantra for Ingram because his great aunt repeated the line often.
So much so, Ingram decided to get the tattoo.
The hardest part about Ingram’s move from New Orleans to Toronto was waiting eight months to finally play in a Raptors jersey. He suffered a severely sprained left ankle on Dec. 8, 2024, and that injury forced him out of action for 10 months.
“Absolutely, that made the trade a little more difficult,” Ingram said. “But it also gave me time to sit and watch my new team. I got a feeling for my new teammates and where I was going to fit in.”
The six-foot-nine Ingram has fit in just fine. He’s made a big difference as the Raptors notched their 31st victory with 29 games still remaining. They won only 30 in the entire 2024-25 season.
His big game against the Bulls was the seventh time he scored 30 or more in a game this season.
“This has been a good move for me,” Ingram said with his whisper-like voice. “I needed a fresh start.
“I love this team, this city and my teammates. The coaching staff has been super.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
