The Toronto Raptors might have a pretty full roster right now, but one former player is looking to find his way back to the league.
Serge Ibaka, a staple of the team’s 2019 championship roster, has been sharing social media posts this week hinting at an NBA comeback after playing the last two seasons in Europe with Spain’s Real Madrid and Germany’s Bayern Munich.
A winner is just a loser who tried one time. #NBAComeback pic.twitter.com/RQNdyJLARa
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) November 18, 2025
Would Ibaka end up with the Raptors?
It’s not immediately clear what the market is like for Ibaka’s services, given that it’s been almost three years since the last time he wore an NBA uniform in a game.
Ibaka last played an NBA game on Jan. 1, 2023, with the Milwaukee Bucks, before being dealt to the Indiana Pacers in February after sitting out for a month. The Pacers subsequently bought out Ibaka.
A winner is just a loser who tried one time.#NBAcomeback 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/KQJfRnZCLr
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) November 18, 2025
But even if he is a diminished version of himself and no matter what uniform he’s wearing, Ibaka will probably always get a big ovation from the Raptors crowds.
During his four seasons in Toronto from 2016-17 to 2019-20, Ibaka averaged 14.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 228 games for the Raptors. His most memorable moments came in the 2019 NBA playoffs, where Ibaka averaged 9.4 points, six rebounds, and one block in 24 games, all of which he came off the bench for.
Ibaka has frequently shown love to the city since his departure.
“If I come back here [to Toronto], people still make me feel like it was yesterday. Every time when I come back here I feel like, like you say, home,” Ibaka said in a video on his YouTube channel in 2023.
“I think that, to me, is the most important thing. Sometimes life is more than just basketball. Of course, we have great memories [on the court], yeah, we won the championship. But at the end of the day, waking up every day to do the things I love to do is a blessing.”
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