Ex-Raptor Serge Ibaka says Toronto still feels like 'home'

Serge Ibaka hasn't suited up for the Raptors since the 2019-20 season but still feels the love whenever he returns to Toronto.

Winning a championship with the Raptors in his penultimate season with the franchise will always bring back fond memories for the 33-year-old, but his appreciation for the city goes well beyond the court.

“After four years, every time I come back here people still make me feel like it was yesterday. Every time when I come back here I feel like home,” Ibaka said in a Youtube video for Uninterrupted. “I think that, to me, is the most important thing.

"Sometimes life is more than just basketball. Of course, we have great memories, yeah, we won the championship. But at the end of the day, waking up every day to do those things I love to do is a blessing.”

A major reason why Ibaka enjoys spending time in Toronto is because of its multicultural vibe. The Congo native appreciates how the city embraces people from all over the world and makes them feel welcome.

"This is one of the beautiful places where you see so many people from different places," Ibaka said. "The culture here, it's just so amazing, you feel so comfortable. When I'm here I feel so comfortable because I feel like I'm not the only one from somewhere else. It's so beautiful."

Ibaka hasn't had much on-court success since leaving the Raptors, suiting up for the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks, but failing to carve out a meaningful role. He played 16 games for the Bucks in 2022-23 but logged fewer than 12 minutes per night and averaged 4.1 points.

He was traded from Milwaukee to the Indiana Pacers in February but was waived two days later. He is currently a free agent.

The 24th overall pick of the 2008 draft spent parts of four seasons with the Raptors following a trade from the Orlando Magic in 2017. He appeared in 228 games for the Raptors and averaged 14.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest.