Masai Ujiri

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Vice-Chairman and President Masai Ujiri speaks with the media Monday.

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Media Day | Masai Ujiri - October 2, 2023

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President Masai Ujiri speaks with the media during press conference on Tuesday.

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End of Season: Masai Ujiri - May 3, 2022

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Team World earned a 96-92 victory against Team Africa in the third NBA Africa game in Pretoria, South Africa on Saturday. Danilo Gallinari led the way with 23 points, earning the MVP award for the game as the event closed out a week of Basketball Without Borders and NBA cares events.

Raptors forwards Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka both suited up for Team Africa. Ibaka started the game and finished with seven points, three rebounds and an assist in 23 minutes. Siakam added four points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid led Team Africa with 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

“It’s unbelievable,” Masai Ujiri said in an interview with SB Nation. "It’s my 16th straight year in South Africa with Basketball Without Borders. One year, we went to Senegal and another year we went to Angola, but my 16th straight year doing this. It’s growing."

Ujiri spoke with SB Nation about the importance of growing the game and spreading inspiration, as well as how it feels to see Siakam participating in the Basketball Without Borders camps and NBA Africa Game after attending just a few years ago.

"It’s amazing having Pascal [Siakam] back here who sat down in the camps just like these kids in 2012. That’s what we have to do in our position. I see myself in them, I see them in myself."

While the game is the biggest event of the week, the most important is all of the giving back that the NBA players and personnel do during their time in Africa.

With basketball events and charity efforts taking place all week, check out how Siakam, Ibaka and the rest of the players who were present spent their week:

The NBA partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build 10 homes for families in Lawley, a township surrounding the city of Johannesburg. Check out a behind-the-scenes video here:

Siakam posted about his time working with Habitat for Humanity in Lawley:

The NBA G-League’s official account also posted a video of Siakam at work:

Ibaka was also there, building to give back, as well:

Check out an all-access video of the Basketball Without Borders camp where NBA players worked with 107 campers on and off the court. In addition to on-court drills and positional skills sessions, there were also off-court life sessions focusing on teamwork, leadership and communication.

Ibaka spoke about his own Serge Ibaka Foundation at the African Philanthropy  Forum in Johannesburg, sharing the stage with Dikembe Mutombo and other guests:

Siakam also talked about his own basketball journey and shared how the sport (and people he has encountered along the way) has influenced his life.

"These guys inspired me not only to be a great basketball player but also a better person," he said. "Now I continue to work hard everyday to prove myself &amp; want to inspire you guys.”

Here’s Ibaka and former Raptors player Bismack Biyombo singing on the way to the arena for the game:

When it comes to on-court action, here’s a dunk from Ibaka:

A collection of shots of the Raptors forwards:

Here’s Ujiri signing off after another successful week with NBA Africa:

And finally, three Toronto Raptors representing for Team Africa:

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Siakam and Ibaka Suited Up For Team Africa

TORONTO, ON (July 25, 2018) Giants of Africa, the not-for-profit co-founded by Toronto Raptors president, Masai Ujiri today announced they will visit seven countries across the African continent this August. Celebrating its 15th- anniversary, Giants of Africa has committed to hosting basketball camps and community outreach initiatives in Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal.

“Over the past 15 years, I have seen the impact basketball can have not only on one kid, but also on their entire community,” said Ujiri. “When I started Giants of Africa, I envisioned providing African youth access to the game and empowering them to achieve their greatest potential. With 63% of Africa’s population below the age of 25, we have a huge goal and responsibility to help them develop. We are excited that this year we are able to extend our reach further across the continent to help realize that dream.”

Giants of Africa youth camps will kick off in Rwanda from August 6 to 8, Democratic Republic of Congo from August 10 to 11, Uganda from August 13 to 14, Kenya from August 16 to 19, Nigeria from August 21 to 24 and conclude in Senegal from August 26 to 28. The organization will host girls’ camps in tandem with its boys’ camps in Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal. Giants of Africa will also activate local outreach initiatives in the communities of Kakuma, Maiduguri as well as Bingereville, Ivory Coast.

Ujiri launched Giants of Africa in 2003 in Nigeria, with aspirations to leverage basketball as a tool for young boys and girls to Dream Big, and maximize opportunities for their future in Africa. Since its’ inception the not-for-profit organization has expanded its footprint and programming across the continent and beyond the game prioritizing skills training and personal development encompassing basketball, health and wellness, leadership and social impact.

In addition to activating basketball camps and community outreach initiatives in August, Giants of Africa also trains local coaches in each community to learn from international premier level coaches. Each year, local and international coaches unite to serve as role models for youth participants to teach, motivate and encourage them to continue working hard to achieve their goals.

As Giants of Africa’s furthers its commitment to creating pathways for African youth through the game of basketball, the organization recently announced a game plan to develop multiple basketball courts in an effort to nurture the next generation of African leaders. On July 16th in Alego, Kenya they unveiled a court built in partnership with the Sauti Kuu Foundation.  The launch event was attended by notables including President Barack Obama, as well as NBA athlete, Bismack Biyombo.  Giants of Africa will infuse local flavor into the design aesthetic of each basketball structure to feed into the vibrant youth culture in each African country.

A native of Nigeria, Ujiri’s love of basketball paved his way to becoming the first African-raised general manager for a major North American sports team. Giants of Africa leverages basketball as a tool for young boys and girls to Dream Big, and visualize opportunities for their future in Africa and around the world.

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Giants of Africa Celebrate 15th Anniversary With Youth Basketball Camps

The African youth-focused organization celebrates 15 years of service with the opening of new African culture-inspired basketball courts across the continent, starting in Kenya in partnership with Auma Obama Foundation.

Toronto, ON (June 26, 2018) - Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri, announced today a game plan to build a number of basketball courts across the continent this summer in an effort to grow the next generation of African leaders on behalf of his not-for-profit organization, Giants of Africa. This move kicks off the celebration of Giants of Africa’s 15-year commitment to creating pathways for African youth through the game of basketball. The first facility will open on July 16th in Kenya in partnership with Dr. Auma Obama’s Sauti Kuu Foundation, an organization focused on creating structures to help youth become mentally, socially and financially self-reliant. Ujiri plans to infuse local flavor into the design aesthetic of the basketball structures to feed into the vibrant youth culture of each African country.

The timing couldn't be better. Africa is in an economic and culture boom, and the youth are at the center of it. Recent studies have shown that the continent is thriving with opportunity and dominated by youth. Africa is the second-fastest growing region in the world, touting 1.2 billion consumers, with 63 percent of the population below the age of 25.

Empowered by the impact the game has had on his own journey, Ujiri co-founded Giants of Africa with aspirations to leverage basketball as a vessel for young boys and girls to Dream Big, and visualize opportunities for their future in Africa and around the world. Since its 2003 launch in Nigeria, the not-for-profit organization has expanded its footprint and programming across the continent and beyond the game. The organization has prioritized skills training and personal development from basketball, health and wellness, to leadership and social impact.

“Over the past 15 years I have watched countless timid, hopeful kids transform into inspired, mission-driven leaders as a result of simply being exposed to more,” said Ujiri. “As we work to create greater opportunity for young adults on the continent, expansion is our natural next step in delivering on our mission. Basketball opened so many doors and built me up on many levels, so I’m excited to pay that forward to the next generation of African giants.”

The custom Giants of Africa basketball court will be part of a larger multiplex space in Alego, Kenya designed for young people and their families to achieve their greatest potential.  Obama’s Sauti Kuu Foundation aims to help children and young people from rural and urban communities, discover the strength of their own voices and the power they have to positively change their lives. The organization works in tandem with children and their families to develop sustainable socio-economic structures that will promote financial independence.

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Masai Ujiri's Giants of Africa Builds Basketball Court in Kenya for Next Generation Youth

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GALLERY: Giants of Africa in Uganda

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GALLERY: Giants of Africa in Rwanda

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Giants of Africa, the organization founded by Toronto Raptors President, Masai Ujiri, today announced it will conduct basketball camps in six countries across Africa in August. Dedicated to supporting the growth of basketball in Africa, Giants of Africa will host skills camps in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal in August 2017. The youth focused camps will kick off in Rwanda from August 7 to 9, Uganda from August 10 to 12, Kenya from August 13 to 15, Nigeria from August 18 to 20, Ivory Coast from August 23 to 25 and conclude in Senegal with boys’ and girls’ camps from August 26 to 28.

“Sport can change the world” said Masai Ujiri. “Africa must rise and the way we get there is together. One of Giants of Africa’s fundamental mottos is - Dream Big. We believe that basketball can be used as a tool to educate and develop youth around the world to accomplish their dreams. In addition to training coaches in each country and building infrastructure, we strive to serve as role models for these kids to learn from and be motivated by hard work. We feel a deep sense of responsibility to help them develop as athletes and be good citizens within their community."

Giants of Africa summer camps band together elite and emerging coaches from across Africa and internationally. The skills sessions are tailored to develop aspiring basketball athletes both on and off the court. Sessions over the course of three days will focus on helping players develop athleticism, enhance life skills, set goals and inspire them to accomplish their dreams.

While in each country, Giants of Africa will be participating in outreach projects in each local community. In Rwanda the team will be opening a new court at Rafiki Club. Kenya community outreach will include projects impacting the neighborhood of Kayole. The Giants of Africa team will be visiting Little Saints Orphanage in Nigeria, Cite d'Ivoire Orphelinat De Bingerville in Ivory Coast and will support the SEED project in Senegal.

In addition to running basketball camps and community outreach initiatives across the continent, the organization will also be screening its documentary of the same name, “Giants of Africa” in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and Nigeria. The film which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival documents Toronto Raptors President, Masai Ujiri’s work to inspire and create opportunities for youth in Africa through basketball. The film, Giants of Africa tells the story of a movement that Ujiri envisioned 14 years ago. At the core of the film is the notion of using basketball as a tool to create lasting change and to empower others to dream big, while growing the game in Africa.

A native of Nigeria, Ujiri’s love of basketball paved his way to becoming the first African-born General Manager for a major North American sports team and he never forgot his roots, or the opportunities presented to him. Inspired by the NBA’s ‘Basketball Without Borders’ program, Giants of Africa exists to create those same opportunities for not only African youth, but also for coaches and mentors who go back to their own homeland to influence future generations. Since the Giants of Africa camps began more than 100 camp attendees have moved on to high school or university in the United States, with around 20 now playing professionally in Europe.

Giants of Africa 2017 camps will be made possible with the support of partners including the NBA, Nike, Nestlé Milo, Ecobank, MLSE Foundation and Sportscorp Travel.

Giants of Africa was founded in 2003 to make a difference for kids in Africa using basketball as a tool. The organization’s mission is to use the game of basketball to educate and enrich the lives of the African youth by providing quality facilities, coaching and instruction. To learn more about the organization go to giantsofafrica.org or follow Giants of Africa across the following social platforms: Facebook.com/GiantsofAfrica, Instagram.com/giantsofafrica and www.twitter.com/@GiantsofAfrica

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Masai Ujiri and Giants of Africa To Run Camps in Six African Countries This Summer

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