NBA Star's Courtside Meltdown Turns Dangerous
Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram found himself at the centre of controversy during Saturday night's 130-120 defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers after his furious courtside tantrum resulted in a staff member being struck in the face by a thrown bottle.
The incident occurred early in the second quarter when Ingram, who had scored 21 points before being removed from the game with an apparent injury, took his seat on the bench clearly frustrated by the setback.
The Explosive Incident Unfolds
In a moment of pure frustration, the former Los Angeles Lakers star picked up a bottle and violently threw it down onto the court surface. The container exploded upon impact, sending liquid spraying everywhere before bouncing up and striking an unsuspecting 76ers staff member directly in the face.
Ingram's teammate Scottie Barnes also received an unwelcome soaking from the flying liquid, adding to the embarrassing scene unfolding courtside.
What happened next drew even more criticism as witnesses reported no immediate apology from the 28-year-old athlete, who clearly saw his bottle make contact with the staff member. Instead, Ingram simply looked down at the ground with a sheepish expression while the injured staffer and colleagues had to clean up the mess before the game could resume.
Social Media Backlash Erupts
As video clips of the incident began circulating on social media platforms, NBA fans delivered a brutal verdict on Ingram's behaviour.
One fan commented on the platform X: 'I understand frustration, but when you see you've hit someone and made a mess, how do you not immediately apologise and help clean up? Awful behaviour.'
Another added: 'Throws a fit and just stands there while everyone else cleans up his mess. What terrible culture.'
The criticism continued with a third social media user posting: 'Sitting there sulking like a baby and watching them clean up is nasty work', while a fourth noted: 'Imagine just sitting there, paid millions, and acting like he did nothing wrong.'
Ingram's Career Context
The petulant display comes during what has been a notable career for Ingram, who was originally drafted by the Lakers in 2016. After spending three seasons in Los Angeles, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in the deal that brought Anthony Davis to the Lakers.
Ingram earned his first All-Star selection in 2020, which coincided with him being named the NBA's Most Improved Player during his initial season with the Pelicans. After six seasons in New Orleans, he was traded to the Raptors in February 2025, subsequently signing a substantial three-year $120 million contract extension.
The frustrating evening extended beyond Ingram's behaviour for the Raptors, who saw their four-game winning streak snapped despite strong performances from RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, who each contributed 22 points.
Philadelphia took control by dominating the second quarter 35-20 after Toronto had established an impressive 43-33 first-quarter lead. Though the Raptors narrowed the gap to 119-116 on Barrett's three-pointer with 3:25 remaining, the 76ers scored the next six points to secure their victory.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 31 points, while Joel Embiid added 29. Trendon Watford achieved a triple-double with 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists for the 76ers, who had lost all four meetings with Toronto during the previous season.
