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Masai Ujiri

Award-Winning NBA Executive | Founder, Giants of Africa

Masai Ujiri - Headshot Oct 2023
When Women Win, We All Win
HBO Real Sports Profile
GMA Interview on Social Justice
Masai
Masai Ujiri - Headshot Oct 2023
When Women Win, We All Win
HBO Real Sports Profile
GMA Interview on Social Justice

Masai Ujiri is one of the NBA’s most accomplished leaders with a track record that few executives in professional basketball can match. As President and Vice-Chairman of the Toronto Raptors, he led the franchise through its most successful period in history, including an NBA championship. Ujiri also led the team to five Atlantic Division titles, their first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, and to a record number of wins in a single season. After 13 seasons, Ujiri departed the Raptors and is now the President and Alternate Governor of the Dallas Mavericks.

Ujiri began his NBA career on the ground as a scout, searching for talent all over the globe. He was named general manager of the Denver Nuggets in 2011 — becoming the first African-born GM in pro sports — and won the Executive of the Year award in 2013. Ujiri served as director of global scouting and assistant general manager to the Raptors before taking the role as president in 2013, adding the role of Vice-Chairman in 2021. Ujiri’s tenure with the Raptors ended in June 2025.

While he is proud to be the first African team president in North American sports, Ujiri has said that he would consider it a failure if he was the last: “Being first is good, but I don’t want to be the only one. There have to be more.” His belief in equity and diversity is reflected in his leadership, where he is committed to hiring women and investing in organizational inclusion and diversity.

Ujiri is also the founder of Giants of Africa (GOA), a charity organization that uses sport as a tool to enrich the lives of African youth and create opportunities for them on and off the court. Ujiri’s ethos is to “dream big” and today his organization reaches youths in more than 17 African countries. To celebrate GOA’s 15th anniversary, Ujiri was joined by former US President Barack Obama to open the Giants of Africa court in Alego, Kenya. GOA has now committed to building 100 basketball courts as part of a continent-wide investment in sports infrastructure.

An Officer to the Order of Canada, Ujiri was recently named to the inaugural TIME100 Sports list for his contribution as an NBA executive. He currently sits on the advisory board of the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security.

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

  • Leadership

    Masai Ujiri is one of the most influential leaders in the NBA, leading the Toronto Raptors to their most successful period in franchise history, including an NBA Championship – the first in their 24-year history, and the only team outside the United States to do so. At the same time, his Giants of Africa Foundation has lead talented African Players to compete at the highest levels in basketball. Now, Ujiri speaks about how he applies his leadership skills to win on and off the court, lift up those around him, and develop the next generation of leaders.

  • Philanthropy

    Masai Ujiri has dedicated much of his life to empowering youth in Africa. He founded Giants of Africa in 2003 with the mission of using basketball as a tool to enrich the lives of African youth globally, and create opportunities for them to realize their potential. Over the past 17 years the organization has traversed more than 17 African countries and territories conducting camps, building courts, and facilitating youth outreach. Ujiri also served as director of the NBA’s Basketball without Borders program. He speaks throughout the globe on his philanthropic values, and desire to better the lives of others.

  • Social Justice

    Masai Ujiri is an active voice in the social justice movement, and has always been a strong advocate for equality. His very public experience with racism during the 2019 NBA Championships sparked national and international headlines, and lead to the Humanity movement – a platform to continue the conversation on social justice and what it means to be a human being. Ujiri now speaks passionately about the fight for equality, and how we can work together build a future without discrimination.

  • Building Strong Business Cultures

    Masai Ujiri has a proven ability to build strong business cultures. As the founder of the Giants of Africa Foundation, former President and Vice-Chairman of the Toronto Raptors, and now President and Alternate Governor of the Dallas Mavericks, he is known for fostering greatness within organizations, and isn’t afraid to take risks.

    In his talks, Ujiri uses his own story and journey to highlight how to build strong and sustainable business cultures, and brings attention to the importance of equity and inclusion.

  • Women's Empowerment

    Women’s empowerment is very close to Masai Ujiri’s heart. He believes that when women win, we all win. Ujiri uses his many personal experiences, such as growing the Toronto Raptors staff from one woman in 2013 to 15 strong female leaders to date, and impacting hundreds of young females through Giants of Africa women’s camps, to teach how to provide equal opportunity and champion women.

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