Sport
Masai Ujiri joins Dallas Mavericks as president
The Dallas Mavericks have hired Masai Ujiri, former Toronto Raptors executive, as team president and alternate governor. He replaces Nico Harrison, fired as general manager nine months after the Luka Doncic trade that set back the franchise.
Ujiri, 55, led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA title after acquiring Kawhi Leonard. He left Toronto last June following 13 seasons.
The Mavericks said Ujiri will oversee basketball operations and shape long-term strategy. “One of the great basketball leaders of this generation,” said governor Patrick Dumont.
Ujiri inherits Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, the No.1 pick in last summer’s draft. Dallas also has Kyrie Irving (recovering from a torn ACL), Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II.
Ujiri co-founded Giants of Africa, a youth-empowerment nonprofit, and recently joined the ownership group of Toronto’s WNBA expansion team.
“We will win in Dallas,” Ujiri said.