Interview with Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri on career and leadership

Interview Questions for Toronto Raptors General Manager, Masai Ujiri
Basketball Playing Career
 

You started out your athletic career in football and ended up in basketball. Can you describe that transition for us, how that happened, what prompted you to pursue hoops over the football field, and what that overall experience was like for you balling on the outdoor courts of Nigeria? No doubt you looked up to another pro player and fellow Nigerian, Hakeem Olajuwon. Can you tell us what it was like for you as a young boy and a young teen—getting those VHS tapes of NBA games and of basketball movies? What did that mean for you and for your motivation? From 1996 to 2002, you played professionally as a guard in Europe—in England, Belgium, Germany, Finland, and Denmark. You saw a lot of different people and places. What stands out in your mind as a particularly memorable moment from those days of playing ball as a pro? Eventually, you left the game as a player and came back to Nigeria as a youth coach. Why did you hang it up and what was that experience like for you—returning, in a sense, to your roots and serving as a real-life inspiration for other Nigerian youths?

NBA Career
 

You climbed your way up to the top as a basketball executive in the NBA by starting out at the bottom—as an unpaid scout for the Magic. What was that like and how did that happen for you? Did you have ambitions beyond scouting at that point? Eventually, you became Director of Global Scouting for the Raptors—then Assistant GM and then GM and Executive VP. You’ve obviously had a lot of success with the Raptors, helping to create an organization that finally won its first Championship in franchise history. What do you attribute your success to? No doubt it is not an easy journey—and yet you are a shining example of someone who has made it. We all know, though, that we don’t get there all by ourselves. Who are some of the people in your life who have helped you along the way? You were the NBA Executive of the Year in 2013 while with the Denver Nuggets. What did that honor mean for you and was it a difficult decision to leave the Nuggets and return to the Raptors after that? Clearly that return paid off, as you and the Raptors became NBA champions in 2019. However, some questioned your decisions—particularly the firing of Coach of the Year Dwayne Casey and the trade of fan-favorite DeMar Derozan. Yet you got Kawhi Leonard and Marc Gasol—and soon all the doubters were silenced. Do you have any more magic left up your sleeve?

Controversies
 

Let’s talk for a moment about some of the controversies that have come up over the years. One of them is your choice of words at the Eastern Conference Playoffs in 2014 and 2015. As a man of passion and energy is it easy to sometimes forget that sensitive ears might be listening? No doubt, controversy is not something you court. But do you feel that some of your comments and actions may be viewed as shocking because of a cultural divide—you being, for instance, an African in America with many years playing in Europe under your belt, while most Americans have never left their home country? The incident with the Alameda County Sheriff’s deputy at the 2019 championship game in which the Raptors clinched the title was truly unfortunate and not what one wants to remember from such a historic night. To what degree do you feel this was a misunderstanding that got completely blown out of proportion?

Philanthropy
 

Let’s switch over to your philanthropic activities. Can you tell us a little about the Giants of Africa Foundation, how it began, how it has evolved, what your role is in the Foundation and what the next steps are for it? The excellent and award-winning Giants of Africa documentary premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2016. Why did you decide to participate in that documentary and what was the motivation for premiering it at the Toronto International Film Festivla? Obviously the Giants of Africa Foundation is particularly meaningful for you. What do you feel it has meant for other players and for the continent of Africa in general?

NBA Africa
 

The NBA is one of the most treasured and respected professional sports organizations in the world. What are your thoughts on the NBA’s footprint in Africa, the objectives of the NBA there and some of the key factors that will determine its success in Africa? NBA Africa Vice President Amidou Fall identified you as an example of someone from Africa who never played an NBA minute but who has found success in the NBA as a leader. Why is it important to teach youths in Africa about what it means to be successful and what do you see as the catalyst for NBA Africa’s success? Personal

Family
 

Let’s move in a little closer now and get to know you as a person beyond the fancy titles and career successes. Let’s talk about your childhood. Can you describe growing up in Zaria, Nigeria and what lasting impact that has had on you? You have a Nigerian father, who is a professional nurse, and a Kenyan mother, who is a professional doctor—and though you were born in England your heart is clearly in Africa, if we are to judge by your actions. Tell us, how did your parents and their backgrounds influence you? You have a wonderful wife Ramatu, a fashion model who has given you two lovely children. Clearly you have tremendous respect for women. Can you discuss the important role that women like your mother and your wife have played in your life and what women’s empowerment means to you?

Self