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July 28, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Sports Desk • Basketball

Masai Ujiri

Masai Ujiri is a Canadian basketball executive and former player, best known for leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship in 2019.

Updated July 28, 20261 min readCited sources

Masai Ujiri is a Canadian basketball executive and former player, best known for leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship in 2019.

Who he is

Born in England and raised in Nigeria, Ujiri became a Canadian citizen and built a career in basketball. He served as general manager of the Denver Nuggets, winning NBA Executive of the Year in 2012–13, before joining the Toronto Raptors as president in 2013.

Why he matters

Under Ujiri's leadership, the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019, becoming the first non-U.S. team to do so. He later took on a role as president of the Dallas Mavericks in 2026. He also founded Giants of Africa, a youth development program.

Key details

Ujiri was born July 7, 1970, in Bournemouth, England. He is 56 years old as of 2026. His full name is Michael Masai Ujiri. He has one NBA championship as an executive.

In short

  • Canadian basketball executive who led Raptors to 2019 NBA title
  • Former Denver Nuggets GM and NBA Executive of the Year
  • Founded Giants of Africa youth program
  • Became president of Dallas Mavericks in 2026
Canadian angle

Ujiri is a prominent Canadian sports executive and was a central figure in the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 championship run, a major moment in Canadian basketball history.

Quick questions

Who is Masai Ujiri?
A Canadian basketball executive and former player, known for leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship in 2019.
What team does Masai Ujiri manage?
As of 2026, he is the president of the Dallas Mavericks.
How many championships has Masai Ujiri won?
He has won one NBA championship as an executive, with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masai_Ujiri
    Supports: Birth date, Canadian identity, early life, and 2026 Dallas Mavericks role.
  2. Bloomberg Philanthropies — https://www.bloomberg.org/people/masai-ujiri/
    Supports: Raptors leadership roles, 2019 championship, and executive career timeline.
  3. Olympics.com — https://www.olympics.com/en/news/masai-ujiri-equality-future-africa-winning-olympism
    Supports: Birthplace, upbringing in Nigeria, and Raptors championship context.
  4. ESPN — https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48676414/sources-mavericks-hire-ujiri-president-alternate-governor
    Supports: Dallas Mavericks appointment and championship-executive background.
  5. CBC — https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/masai-giants-of-africa
    Supports: Raised in Nigeria, African background, and Giants of Africa.
  6. Basketball-Reference — https://www.basketball-reference.com/executives/ujirima99x.html
    Supports: Toronto Raptors executive tenure dates.