Masai Ujiri is out as vice chairman and president of the Toronto Raptors after 13 seasons, the team announced Friday.
While the organization begins its search for a replacement, key front office figures — including general manager Bobby Webster — will remain in place.
“During his 13 seasons with the Raptors, Masai has helped transform the organization on the court and has been an inspirational leader off it,” said Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). “He brought an NBA Championship to Toronto and urged us to believe in this city, and ourselves. We are grateful for all he has done and wish him and his family the very best.
“We are confident that the Raptors organization, under the guidance of Bobby and his team, is in a great place,” Pelley added. “They have a plan in place for next season and beyond as the team continues its rebuild.”
Ujiri’s departure comes one day after the NBA Draft and just before free agency opens Monday. Toronto is coming off a 30-52 season and has missed the playoffs for three consecutive years.
Ujiri joined the Raptors as general manager in 2013 and was named NBA Executive of the Year that same season. He later guided the franchise to its first — and only — NBA championship in 2019, making Toronto the lone team based outside the United States to win an NBA title.
Born in Zaria, Nigeria, Ujiri played college basketball at Bismarck State College and Montana State before a brief professional stint in Europe. He began his front-office career as a scout in 2002 and became general manager of the Denver Nuggets in 2011.
Beyond basketball operations, Ujiri has been deeply involved in growing the game globally. He served as director of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program in 2003 and founded the nonprofit Giants of Africa that same year. The organization has since expanded across more than a dozen African nations, hosting camps and building infrastructure to develop talent and empower youth across the continent.
His exit marks the end of a transformative era in Toronto — one defined by championship success and a lasting international impact.