Brandon Ingram reveals Kobe Bryant’s influence behind hot streak
Brandon Ingram seems to be the missing piece for the Toronto Raptors to take the next step in their fighting journey. After winning 25 and 30 games, respectively, the past two seasons, the Ingram-led Raptors cruised to start the 2025-26 season. On Monday night, they posted a 110-99 win over fellow Eastern Conference rivals the Cleveland Cavaliers to move to 13-5 on the year – two wins away from reaching half of last season’s win total.
Ingram has been a real addition for the Raptors, giving them a scoring option on the wing who can get a shot at any moment. This is a valuable skill that the best perimeter shooters must have; RJ Barrett is at his best when he’s heading for the basket, while Scottie Barnes is a roughneck at heart.
One such weapon that has made Ingram so unstoppable, especially on Monday night, is his brilliant use of the head fake. And after the Raptors’ win on Monday, Ingram revealed as much he takes inspiration from the late great Kobe Bryant in his use of spectacular footwork and deception.
“Kobe (has been an influence on me.) I don’t four-fake like him, but I know when an aggressive defender is guarding me and using his hands and just trying to be hands-on. I just know when to use it,” Ingram said via the official NBA account on X (formerly Twitter).
Who influenced the BI falsification and footwork?
Kobe Bryant 👀 https://t.co/hdH9kO2aft pic.twitter.com/M8ZMzE8IoK
— NBA (@NBA) November 25, 2025
The The Raptors are on the roadand with Ingram’s shooting ability taking another leap, it will be difficult to stop their rise.
Brandon Ingram brings balance to the Raptors’ roster
In today’s NBA, having someone who can create his shot regardless of how the possession is going is invaluable. That’s what makes the likes of Shai Giljus-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic so unstoppable. Now, Ingram isn’t on the same level as those players, but he brings a similar skill set to being able to create shots and having the ability to drill those tough shots that he creates.
Ingram’s arrival brought a greater sense of balance to the Raptors’ roster and resulted in wins.
2025-11-25 12:30:00
