Former NBA executive Masai Ujiri may no longer be working in an NBA front office, but he remains deeply connected to the game.
Ujiri has become part of the ownership group for the Toronto Tempo as the franchise prepares for its debut WNBA season, while also keeping his long-term sights set on a return to the NBA.
“I’ve been learning more about our game, the NBA, looking at trends and what we might be missing by studying other leagues,” Ujiri said.
“I spend a lot of my time trying to do that because one of my main goals is to win another championship. I want to win with the Tempo, and I want to win another NBA championship because I wasn’t able to celebrate and be happy because of that police incident that happened to me.”
That lingering motivation ties back to the Raptors’ 2019 NBA title run, when Ujiri was stopped by security at Oracle Arena and prevented from immediately joining the on-court celebration.
The incident led to lawsuits from both sides, which were later dropped, but the moment still fuels him.
“There’s a hunger in me because of what happened,” Ujiri said. “I want to win again so I can actually enjoy it.”
Masai Ujiri Wants To Return To NBA To Win Another Championship https://t.co/h7epCAkzgZ
— RealGM (@RealGM) March 31, 2026
