Masai Ujiri

Masai Ujiri is a Nigerian-Canadian professional basketball executive and former player, and Vice-Chairman and President of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Toronto Raptors.

After a modest playing career, Ujiri began his career as a basketball scout, working for teams traveling the world and searching for talent in gyms all over the globe. He was named general manager (GM) of the Denver Nuggets in 2011, becoming the first African GM in pro sports, and won the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year award. Under his leadership, the Raptors won the 2019 NBA Championship.

In 2003, Ujiri co-founded the Giants of Africa (GOA) organization with longtime friend and professional basketball scout Godwin Owinje, based on the idea of using basketball as a means of enriching the lives of African youth – both boys and girls. Originally established in Nigeria, GOA eventually expanded into Kenya and since 2015, GOA has created camps and programs across the African continent. In addition, GOA has built courts throughout Africa and conducted outreach programs for communities in need, including two of the largest United Nations refugee camps in the world in Dadaab and Kakuma.

Ujiri has served as director of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Africa program and has traveled with the Prime Minister as part of the Canadian delegation to the 2019 African Union meetings. He serves on the advisory board of the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security. He has been named an officer to the Order of Canada for his contributions as an NBA executive and humanitarian.