The only non-American to ever win NBA Executive of the Year
In short: Masai Ujiri didn't just break the glass ceiling for African executives in sports; he shattered it by leading a franchise to its first championship. From an unpaid scout paying his own way to a multi-million dollar president, his journey is a masterclass in navigating high-stakes basketball politics.
Born in England to Nigerian and Kenyan parents, Ujiri grew up in Nigeria where he discovered basketball through American magazines and VHS tapes. He eventually moved to the United States to play college basketball before embarking on a professional playing career across Europe. After retiring from play in 2002, his path to the front office began with grit: he worked as an unpaid scout for the Orlando Magic, often paying his own expenses and sharing rooms with players just to get his foot in the door.
Ujiri's executive rise was historic. Joining the Denver Nuggets in 2010 marked his debut as a primary US sports executive from Africa. He led them to a then-record 57 wins, earning him the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year award—a distinction he remains the only non-American to hold. His tenure with the Toronto Raptors was equally transformative; he orchestrated the high-profile trade for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green in 2018, a move that directly resulted in the franchise's first NBA championship in 2019.
His career hasn't been without controversy. Ujiri faced multiple fines from Commissioner Adam Silver for outspoken remarks during fan rallies in 2014 and 2015. He also became the center of a public legal battle following an altercation with a sheriff's deputy during the 2019 NBA Finals. While initial reports suggested he initiated physical contact, body camera footage released in 2020 showed the deputy initiating the shove. The matter was eventually settled out of court in 2021.
In 2026, Ujiri transitioned into a new era of leadership, joining the ownership group of the WNBA expansion team Toronto Tempo and becoming the President of the Dallas Mavericks.
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