Who is Masai Ujiri?
Masai Ujiri is a Nigerian basketball executive and a former player. He is best known as the president of the Toronto Raptors in the NBA.
Early Life
Ujiri was born on July 7, 1970, in Zaria, Nigeria. His father is from Aviara in Delta state and mother is Kenyan, of the Kamba. Ujiri had an interest in sports from an early age and played soccer as a youth before focusing on basketball some years later.
His interest in basketball grew when he was 13 years old. He used to play with friends on outdoor basketball courts in his hometown. As a basketball fan, he used to admire Hakeem Olajuwon who was also born in Nigeria.
Professional Career
Ujiri moved to the United States and attended Bismarck State College where he played two years of basketball. He was then transferred to Montana State University but he left after one semester.
He moved to Europe and played basketball for six years before ending his professional career in 2002. After that, he worked as a youth coach in Nigeria.
In 2002, he was accompanying a young Nigerial player to draft tryout in Orlando when he impressed Magic scouting director Gary Brokaw who then introduced him to coach Doc Rivers and GM John Gabriel. He then became an unpaid scout for Orlando’s Magic for some years.
Jeff Weltman of Denver Nuggets then hired Ujiri as an International Scout. After four seasons, he was hired by Toronto Raptors as their Director of Global Scouting. In 2008, he became the Raptors’ assistant general manager and two years later he returned to Nuggets in a position as executive vice president in charge of basketball operations.
In 2013, he then became GM of the Toronto Raptors. The same year, he was named the NBA Executive of the Year for his work with Nuggets making him the only non-American ever to receive that award. On September 2, 2016, Toronto Raptors extended his contract as the team’s president.
Is Masai Ujiri marred?
He is married to lovely Ramatu Ujiri. She is a former model and also played basketball during her time at Eleanor Roosevelt High School.
Masai and Ramatu first met in 2007, dated for a couple of years and eventually decided to get married. The couple is blessed with two children, one daughter, and one son.
Masai Ujiri Net Worth
As of 2019, Masai Ujiri net worth is estimated to be around $20 million. Most of his earnings are from his salary during his time at Toronto Raptors.
On May 31, 2013, he signed a 5-year, $15 million contract to become the GM of Toronto Raptors. On September 2, 2016, he signed a five-year contract extension worth $32 million as the president of Toronto Raptors.
