Masai Ujiri Agrees to New Deal With Raptors As Vice Chairman, President

Ujiri has helped the Raptors achieve their most sustained success in franchise history, which included winning the 2018-19 NBA title.

Raptors executive Masai Ujiri has agreed to a new contract to become the team's vice chairman and remain as the team's president, the franchise announced Thursday. 

“I love being the leader of the Toronto Raptors and I’m here to stay,” Ujiri said in a video put out by the team.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Ujiri's deal is for significant money and keeps Ujiri in Toronto despite interest from several professional sports franchises beyond NBA’s boundaries. Ujiri's contract was set to expire soon, per ESPN.

I've said it before, and I am saying it again.

We will win in Toronto.

- Masai pic.twitter.com/KJ64UwjZPo

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) August 5, 2021

Ujiri joined the Raptors following the 2013 season, and just weeks after he took home the NBA's Executive of the Year award for his work with the Nuggets. 

From the SI Vault: Giants of Africa: Masai Ujiri's Summer of Going Back and Giving Back

He immediately helped construct a Toronto team that made the playoffs in seven straight seasons, the longest streak in franchise history. During that span, Toronto made four conference semifinals, one conference finals and won the NBA championship in 2018-19.

Last season, as the franchise had to play in Tampa amid the COVID-19 pandemic, marked the first year during his tenure in Toronto that the franchise failed to make the playoffs. 

Ujiri was originally named president and general manager of basketball operations before Bobby Webster was given the general manager title ahead of the 2017-18 season.

Ujiri is also regarded for his commitment to issues related to social justice and for how he's grown the game of basketball in Africa. In addition to continuing to serve as the franchise's top basketball executive, he will be continuing to add to his philanthropic work with his Giants of Africa foundation.

“For me, home is where it all starts,” he said on the video. “Home is where I gather my strength and get my inspiration. And Toronto, you inspire me.”