Ingram steps into the All-Star spotlight, replacing an injured Curry.
Brandon Ingram's stellar first full season with the Toronto Raptors has officially been rewarded.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver selected the Raptors forward to replace the injured Stephen Curry in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, the league announced Tuesday.
It marks the second All-Star selection of Ingram's career and caps off what has been a remarkable first half of the season for both him and a Raptors team that few people expected to be here.
Curry has been dealing with a lingering right knee injury, commonly known as runner's knee, that has kept him out of Golden State's last four games.
The Warriors guard was voted in as a Western Conference starter but will use the All-Star break to rest and recover, with the hope of returning for Golden State's first game after the break against the Celtics on February 19.
Despite missing 15 games this season due to various injuries, Curry has still been putting up strong numbers for the 29-25 Warriors, averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 39 percent from three.
Ingram Has Earned His Spot
Ingram was widely seen as the biggest snub when the All-Star reserves were first announced, and the numbers back that up.
Through 54 games this season, the 28-year-old forward is averaging 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 47/36/84 shooting splits.
What makes those numbers even more impressive is the fact that Ingram has not missed a single game for Toronto this season, something that plagued him throughout his time in New Orleans.
His mid-range game continues to be one of the best in the league, and he has shown the ability to take over when it counts.
Just last Thursday against the Bulls, Ingram dropped 33 points on 12-of-20 shooting with five threes, six assists, and six rebounds in a 123-107 win.
Toronto's Turnaround Season
The bigger story behind Ingram's selection is what the Raptors have done as a team.
Toronto sits at 32-22 heading into the All-Star break, 10 games above .500 and firmly in the playoff picture.
After missing the postseason for three straight years, the Raptors are on pace for their first winning season since 2021-22.
Ingram and Scottie Barnes have formed a strong one-two punch that has driven Toronto's success all year.
Barnes earned his second All-Star nod as well, and the two were recently featured together on the cover of SLAM Magazine as a result of the team's turnaround.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic was also selected to coach during All-Star Weekend, giving Toronto plenty of representation in Los Angeles this Sunday.
What It Means Going Forward
For Ingram, the All-Star selection is validation that the move to Toronto has been the right fit.
After years of injuries and inconsistency in New Orleans, he has found his footing and become the go-to scorer the Raptors needed.
Playing all 54 games so far shows a level of durability that Toronto will need as the season heads toward the stretch run, and with a real shot at home-court advantage in the first round, Ingram will be at the center of that push.