Brandon Ingram gave Toronto Raptors teammate unforgettable gift

Much of the Toronto Raptors’ fate this season might rest on the shoulders of how well they can mesh with Brandon Ingram on the court.

But off the court, it appears that the former All-Star has already gelled quite well with his new teammates after a midseason trade last year.

Andscape.com’s Marc J. Spears profiled Ingram recently and discovered an interesting nugget about an unforgettable present he offered up to a young teammate.

“Ingram quickly formed a bond with several Raptors teammates, including then-rookie guard Jamal Shead. Ingram actually paid for Shead to take a private jet to see his former school, Houston, play in the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball Final Four in San Antonio,” Spears wrote in an article published Friday.

Ingram was traded to Toronto in early February, with the Final Four being played in early April. That meant that Ingram’s gift to Shead came while only knowing him closely for around two months, and with the latter still on a rookie deal.

Shead was a three-year starter for the Houston Cougars, spending all four of his college years at the school.

“It’s been awesome getting to see them excel. I’m excited to just be a fan for once,” Shead told Offside last season.

Spears didn’t specify which Houston game Shead went to, but social media video from the Raptors shows the then-rookie watching their semifinal game on TV, suggesting he was in attendance for their national championship loss to Florida.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but Shead was listed as out for rest reasons for Toronto’s next game, two days after the Cougars suffered the devastating defeat on college basketball’s biggest stage.

Despite the loss, it’s unlikely that Shead will ever forget the kind gesture from Ingram. And perhaps the next time Ingram needs a favour done in Toronto, he’ll know just the teammate to ask from somebody who might owe him one.

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