Raptors Add Ujiri To Basketball Operations

(July 30, 2007) - The Toronto Raptors announced Monday that they have added Masai Ujiri (Ma-SIGH u-JEER-e) to the basketball operations staff as the club’s director of global scouting.

“Masai Ujiri is universally known in the NBA as a bright young basketball mind,” said Bryan Colangelo, president and general manager of the Raptors. “The Toronto Raptors will surely benefit from his wealth of experience and contacts throughout the basketball community worldwide.”

Ujiri joins the Raptors after four seasons as a member of the Denver Nuggets scouting department, including this past season as their director of international scouting. Prior to joining the Nuggets, he served as an international scout with the Orlando Magic in 2002-03.

A native of Nigeria, Ujiri has played an active role in promoting basketball in his homeland, starting the Top 50 Bigman Camp five years ago. He also serves as a director for the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Africa program.

Following his collegiate career at Montana State, he spent six years playing professionally in Europe, with stops in Belgium, Germany, England, Greece and Finland.

source : NBA.com