Ujiri and Raptors agree on new deal
BOITUMELO RANTAO
MASAI Ujiri arrived in Toronto in 2013 and, after growing his reputation as one of the most sought after executives in professional basketball, has been named vice-chairman and president of the Toronto Raptors.
The Toronto Raptors, the only National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in Canada, had the pleasure of winning the 2019 Championship with Ujiri at the helm. Ujiri is also a polarizing figure in basketball for his many acts of global philanthropy through his Giants of Africa organization.
More recently, Ujiri has attended the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL) semi-finals and finals held at the Kigali Arena in Rwanda.
The spoke about how the Raptors off-season and his commitment to improving the team, “On the court, our goal is clear: Win. It’s simple: Win. Bring another championship to Toronto,” said Ujiri
“We are united in that mission and nothing else will do. We will bring young talent to this city and continue to build with our unbelievable players. I’ve said it before, and I am saying it again: We will win in Toronto. I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this team. I love being the leader of the Toronto Raptors and I’m here to stay.” he concluded.
The Raptors have gone on to sign Ugandan national team player Ishamil Wainright to a two-year contract. The signing arrives in the wake of standout performances in the 2020-2021 African Basketball Championship (AfroBasket) qualifiers where the forward averaged 18.8 points per game over four games.
Additionally, Raptors have included BAL champion, and winner of the Dikembe Mutumbo award for best defensive player, Anas Mahmoud to their 2021 Summer League roster. The process showcases Ujiri’s enthusiastic approach to investing in the African region.
