Report: Masai Ujiri out as Raptors’ vice chairman and president
Masai Ujiri is out as vice chairman and president of the Toronto Raptors, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Friday.
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and Ujiri decided to part ways, Charania added.
“During his 13 seasons with the Raptors, Masai has helped transform the organization on the court and has been an inspirational leader off it,” said Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President & CEO Keith Pelley in a media release. “He brought an NBA Championship to Toronto and urged us to believe in this city, and ourselves. We are grateful for all he has done and wish him and his family the very best. As we plan for the franchise’s future, and its return to the NBA Playoffs, a search for the successor as president of the Raptors, led by CAA Executive Search, will begin immediately.”
The release also included that as they begin to search for a new team president, the Raptors’ front office leadership will remain in place with extensions for key personnel including general manager Bobby Webster. Terms of the deals, including Webster’s, have not been released according to team policy.
Ujiri first became the vice president and general manager of the Raptors in May 2013, replacing Bryan Colangelo. His contract was extended to act as team president after an impressive 2016 season where the Raptors made the Eastern Conference Finals.
He exits going into the final year of his five-year contract. The Raptors made eight playoff berths throughout Ujiri’s 13 year tenure with the team, including seven straight from 2014-2020, and of course won the NBA Championship in 2019.
First serving as an international scout for the Denver Nuggets and director of global scouting for the Raptors, Ujiri returned to the Nuggets and became their general manager and executive vice president of basketball operations in 2010. Raised in Nigeria, he became the first African general manager in major North American sports. After Denver won 57 games in 2013, Ujiri was named NBA Executive of the Year.
While the move comes as somewhat of a shock, considering the success Ujiri has had with the franchise, there was also speculation that a front office shake-up was possible after Pelley, along with the MLSE board, recommended the Toronto Maples Leafs move on from longtime president Brendan Shanahan. The Maple Leafs parted ways with Shanahan on May 23.
“We are confident that the Raptors organization, under the guidance of Bobby and his team, is in a great place,” said Pelley. “They have a plan in place for next season and beyond as the team continues its rebuild, and we have confidence in their ability to execute and ultimately, to excel. We feel the team is in a strong, stable place, and we believe the addition of a new president will continue to move the Raptors forward, towards our next NBA championship.”
On Sept, 18, 2024, Rogers Communications announced that it had purchased Bell Canada’s 37.5% stake in MLSE, giving them 75% stake in the professional sports and real estate company that owns both the Raptors and Leafs, along with many other sports franchises and holdings.
Ujiri never hesitated to show emotion during his run Raptors, including famously shouting “F*** Brooklyn,” ahead of the Raptors 2014 series with the Brooklyn Nets, saying “we don’t give a s**t about it,” in response to comments from Paul Pierce prior to the Raptors series against the Wizards in 2015, and generally always being candid during his media availabilities.
But of course, Ujiri’s prevailing attribute during his time in Toronto was his fierce desire to win, and to win in Toronto, as he so often said.
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