Masai Ujiri Responds to Questions About MLSE & His Future with the Raptors

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri says changes to MLSE aren't going to impact how he and the team do business

Masai Ujiri isn’t going anywhere.

Despite recent changes in ownership for the Toronto Raptors, Ujiri said it’s business as usual for the Raptors organization.

Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment announced Keith Pelley as the organization’s new CEO and it’s expected that his management style is going to be slightly different than his predecessors Cynthia Devine and Michael Friisdahl, Sportsnet reported earlier this month.

“I don’t think that changes in any way,” Ujiri said of Pelley taking over at MLSE. “With Keith, I got to know him a little bit, I think so much needed with this organization that lift, that energy that he brings, what he brings to us.

“Honestly, that balance with ownership, you just need that.”

Ujiri said Pelley’s presence isn’t going to change how the Raptors operate or what decisions he and the team will make going forward. Ownership has largely been hands-off when it comes to the Raptors and that's not expected to change from a roster standpoint.

“We want to build together, build a team here and there are contributions, ownership contributions, everything,” Ujiri said. “To be honest, it never meddles with anything that we do on the team side.

“It’s how we contribute on the business side and bring it together, yeah, we’re all for that.”

The bigger question for Ujiri will come in 2026 when his current contract is set to expire in conjunction with MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum’s expected divestment from MLSE. Tanenbaum has previously fought hard to keep Ujiri with the organization and his expected departure could impact Ujiri’s situation with the Raptors.

“I’m still Masai, nothing is going to fucking change that, I guarantee you that,” Ujiri said. “Sometimes it is perceived outside as the whole politics of this. My focus – you guys all know it, I’m not trying to paint a different picture, you know who I am – I don’t get involved in any of that stuff. …

“Honestly, a lot of time ownership, most of the times, ownership has been honestly been unbelievable for us. I have zero complaints. I know people make out the whole thing like the contract thing or what happened, for me there’s no lingering issues, I want to clear that up.

“There’s none at all. We move forward. As long as I am there, I work the best possible way I can here to win, to build this team, to grow because it is pride for me.”

Ujiri has been with the Raptors organization since 2013 when former MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke hired him to replace Bryan Colangelo.