Masai Ujiri steps down from Raptors role

British sports official of Nigerian descent, Masai Ujiri, is no longer the vice president of the Toronto Raptors, renowned American insider Shams Charania has revealed. The news caused mixed reactions among NBA fans, since the 53-year-old was a key figure in building the championship identity of the only Canadian club in the strongest basketball league in the world.

Ujiri had a modest playing career, mostly playing in his native Nigeria, but he proved himself as an official. His professional journey to the NBA began in 2002 as a scout for the Orlando Magic, and he soon moved to the Denver Nuggets. 

He first arrived in Toronto in 2008, and in 2010 he returned to Denver and assumed the position of general manager and executive vice president for basketball operations.

Ujiri made history with the Raptors: Best manager in the NBA (2013)

It was during this period that he led the Nuggets to the playoffs, and his work was recognized by the league; in 2013, he was elected the best manager in the NBA. Three years later, he returned to Toronto again, where he quickly moved from a managerial position to the position of club president.

The culmination of his work came in 2019, when the Canadian team, led by Kawhi Leonard and coached by Nick Nurse, won the first and only title in the history of the franchise.

Not long after his great success, Ujiri found himself at the center of controversy. Namely, after the sixth game of the final series in Oakland, a sheriff's deputy pushed him twice, which caused an incident that turned into a multi-year legal dispute. 

The uniformed person claimed to have suffered head injuries, but in February 2021 withdrew the claim.

Masai Ujiri remains remembered as one of the most influential people in the modern NBA, and his departure from Toronto marks the end of an important chapter in the club's history.

Such NBA figures are very necessary in today's scene, considering that Ujiri was a person with a vision, clear ideas, and a man who was the foundation of a successful generation in the NBA world.