One of the main aspects of the game that Masai Ujiri has improved since joining the Toronto Raptors in 2015 is the globalization of the league.
Ujiri is not only the Vice-Chairman and President of the only non-American team in the NBA, but he also grew up playing basketball in Africa.
Due to the abundance of talent and innate love for sport in his homeland, Ujiri decided to promote the game on the continent through the Giants of Africa initiative. This is a way to promote the sport among young people through camps and community outreach events.
This summer’s camps were filled with unforgettable potential — and unforgettable people. Join us for a last visit to Burkina Faso, Benin, and DR Congo to hear why connecting with campers is such a big part of what we do. pic.twitter.com/Dbqq2EZhFF
— Giants of Africa (@GiantsOfAfrica) August 23, 2022
In 2021, Ujiri and his GOA staff made a commitment to build 100 courts throughout Africa. So far, they have delivered by creating new facilities in eight different countries, including Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Tanzania, Congo and Ghana.
Due to his roots in Cameroon, Raptors star Pascal Siakam has emphasized the importance of the NBA expanding its borders and globalizing the game.
“Having someone like Masai (Ujiri) be the head of this, what he’s done for the continent… it’s just amazing to see,” the 2020 NBA All-Star said last season. ''It’s beyond basketball. I think he's someone we can definitely learn from.”
“Having someone like Masai be the head of this, what he’s done for the continent… it’s just amazing to see. It’s beyond basketball.”
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 5, 2021
Pascal Siakam on Masai Ujiri’s involvement with Giants of Africa. pic.twitter.com/trCfBgC2Y3
During the Raptors media day, Ujiri spoke to the press and explained how important it is for everyone that the game continues to spread to different parts of the world.
The President touched on multiple examples such as the NBA league in Africa and the only Latin American team in the G-League, the Mexico City Capitanes.
‘’I think it’s needed and I feel like the expansion is going to keep happening,’’ he said. ''It's global and the NBA has that energy. We see it with the players, with the work, with the new team in Mexico City and the Basketball African League.
It is growing and we have to look everywhere and give opportunities to everyone. I’m really happy about that.’’
Masai Ujiri is the first and only African-born President, Vice-Chairman and General Manager of a professional sports franchise in North America.
During #NBAMediaDay, I asked Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri about the first LatinAmerican team in the G-League @CapitanesCDMX and what it means for the NBA to have a team in Mexico City. @Nick_Lagios @M22Thompson @Ramon_DDSS @RSerratosV @francinabrea pic.twitter.com/ULE2rDVKKd
— Eduardo Villalpando (@eduardo_nbamx) September 26, 2022
International players have been at the top of the NBA ladder for quite some time now. The league's last three Most Valuable Players have been non Americans while this year’s All-Star Game featured six international players, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert and Andrew Wiggins.
As of last season, rosters around the NBA featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries, which goes to show the importance of basketball outside the United States.