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Think Like an Entrepreneur
MASAI UJIRI has transformed multiple franchises into successful organizations including the NBA championship-winning Toronto Raptors. Ujiri discusses his entrepreneurial mindset of passion over ambition, making difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions, focusing on community, creating a winning culture, and more. Ujiri’s lessons can be applied to any organization trying to jumpstart a turnaround. Ujiri inspires audiences with his passion and drive, and leaves listeners with tangible takeaways on how to think like an entrepreneur every day.
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, Masai 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. Masai 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. Masai 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 President of the Toronto Raptors and Founder of the Giants of Africa Foundation, 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
MASAI UJIRI believes that when women win, we all win, and to uplift communities, we need to begin by uplifting women. Masai 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.
MASAI UJIRI
Vice-Chairman and President – Toronto Raptors; Co-Founder – Giants of Africa
When his friends and classmates in Nigeria were playing soccer, Masai Ujiri was watching highlights of Hakeem Olajuwon. His love of the game brought him to college in the United States, and when his career on the court was complete, his career off-court began.
He started on the ground as a scout, working for teams traveling the world and searching for talent in gyms all over the globe. Masai was named general manager of the Denver Nuggets in 2011, becoming the first African GM in pro sports, and won the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year award. In Toronto, he has served as director of global scouting and assistant general manager, and in 2013, Masai was named president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2021, after signing a new contract, Masai added the role of vice-chairman of the club to his responsibilities as team president.
Under his leadership, the Raptors won the 2019 NBA Championship, the first team outside the United States to do so.
Masai has said that while he is proud to be the first African team president in North American sports, 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.” Masai’s belief in equity and diversity is reflected in his organization: he has committed to hiring women, and investing in organizational inclusion and diversity.
Masai has served as director of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Africa program. He has travelled with the Prime Minister as part of the Canadian delegation to the 2019 African Union meetings and serves on the advisory board of the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security. He has been named an officer to the Order of Canada for his contributions as an NBA executive and humanitarian. Masai and his wife, Ramatu, live in Toronto with their three children.
In 2003, Masai founded Giants of Africa, an organization which uses sport as a tool to enrich the lives of youth on the continent, and create opportunities for them on and off the court. Masai’s ethos is to “Dream Big,” and now GOA connects with youth – both boys and girls - in 17 African countries.
The summer of 2018 marked 15 years of the organization, and that July, Masai and former U.S. President Barack Obama opened a Giants of Africa court in Alego, Kenya. In 2021, Giants of Africa committed to building 100 basketball courts as part of a continent-wide investment in sports infrastructure. To celebrate the organization’s 20th anniversary, the inaugural Giants of Africa Festival united over 250 youth from 16 African nations to Kigali, Rwanda for a week-long celebration of basketball, education, culture, and
entertainment in August 2023.
In 2020, Masai launched thatshumanity.org, inspired by his experiences and the lessons learned from leaders like Nelson Mandela. “For me,” he says, “it’s about seeing each other. Really seeing. Trying to understand what someone else is going through. And helping if we can. Even if it’s just a kind word. Some encouragement. That’s humanity.”
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