Masai Appreciation Thread

[magani]

The best TO sports hire of my lifetime. Maybe best ever. I wish him well.

Since 80s in Toronto sports. Ranking best execs/leaders:

1. Pat Gillick - Jays from expansion in 77’ to only World Series titles in 92 and 93.
2. Masai
3. Cliff Fletcher - leads early 90s and deep playoff runs and excitement
4. Alex Anthopoulos - Jays 15 and 16 deep runs and excitement across Canada.
That’s it folks across 45 years for three Toronto teams. We were lucky to have him. Total unicorn.

[asuran]

Should have kept Masai, bad move by ownership.

Thank you Masai, The real GROAT

[magani]

The best TO sports hire of my lifetime. Maybe best ever. I wish him well.

Since 80s in Toronto sports. Ranking best execs/leaders:

1. Pat Gillick - Jays from expansion in 77’ to only World Series titles in 92 and 93.
2. Masai
3. Cliff Fletcher - Leafs early 90s and deep playoff runs and excitement
4. Alex Anthopoulos - Jays 15 and 16 deep runs and excitement across Canada.
That’s it folks across 45 years for three Toronto teams. We were lucky to have him. Total unicorn.

[VC15Era]

Should really have his name in the rafters for what he has done for this team, city and country. He brought this team from the depths of irrelevance to a world champion. Really hope Rogers goes something. I think Jerry Sloan had his name in the rafters for the Jazz.

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[lobosloboslobos]

Dear Masai Ujiri,

as a long-time ridiculously passionate fan of the Toronto Raptors I want to thank you for all you did for the club and especially – though by no means only – for leading us to a championship. I hope that that ecstatic parade will always make up for the bs you had to endure on the floor in Oakland.

I was very upset to learn that you had been let go, a foolish and shameful act imo. But thinking about why I am so upset has led me to realize that my feelings don't really have to do with basketball and the Raptors at all. They're really about you as a person and the deep sense of loss I feel at no longer knowing that a man of your courage, intelligence, grace and compassion sits in one of the most prominent and public seats in Toronto.

And I'm also angry that a self-made Black man of your extraordinary accomplishments and capabilities has been ousted by a small-minded white guy who's only where he is because of his family's wealth, by a guy who clearly doesn't give a damn about anyone else.

Especially at this moment in history we need many more people like you in positions of power and many fewer like Ed Rogers.

In my opinion (and I'm 62 so have been around) your tenure at the Raptors stands out as the most human leadership I have ever seen. Even though we've never met, I feel like I know you, because your values have shone so clearly through the consistency of your words and deeds. It's why for a while I was telling everyone I could that I hoped you would go into politics and become the next Premiere of Ontario, and who knows maybe even Prime Minister. I actually feel you could have a good chance at achieving those things if you wanted to.

I will always remember how you treated your players as people first, and how you always made an effort when trading them to put them in a position to succeed, and of course how you brought many African players to Toronto, building on your work with Giants of Africa. I'm proud that our team helped you to complete the highway from youth basketball in Africa through to the NBA, while also making our team better with the likes of OG and Pascal and Serge, among others. An amazing accomplishment.

I'll remember how you created that artwork promoting global peace and understanding in front of Union Station, how you tried to bring the WNBA to Toronto, and of course how you uttered the most ballsy, hilarious and epic words ever uttered by any GM to their fans" F**K BROOKLYN!"

I could go on, but I just wanted to take a few moments to honour you as a person, and to celebrate how important it has been to me anyway, and I think to many others, to see someone behave as honourably and compassionately in leadership as you have during your years at the Raptors.

I really hope you stick around. I mean you and your family are Canadian now right? With all the crap going on south of the border wouldn't it be better stay up here in the north, in the most multicultural city in the world, where you will surely find many opportunities to continue being a great leader and role model for us all?

I do hope so, but whatever you choose to do I want to wish you well. It has really been an honour to have you run my favourite team. And for that matter for you to play such a prominent role in Canada's largest city.

Kila la kheri!

Sincerely,
a Raptors fan

[PhilBlackson]

Sucks he never got his moment with a championship here he deserved that more than ANYBODY

I legit hope they build a statue of him outside the building. He’s completely changed the Raptors as franchise…

But again man does this scare me of reverting back to the Dark Ages of our franchise. I really, really hope Bobby was the one calling the shots on the last couple of drafts.

[Cyrus]

Man Feel bad for Masai, he brought us a championship, but had that moment robbed from him in GSW because of some police BS, and was hoping he would have the oppturnity to get that 2nd championship and have his moment redeemed!

Definitely the best Raptor Exec, and Toronto Sports Exec in the last 30 years.

[Fairview4Life]

Great man, great GM. There is no shame in being rejected by Ed **** Rogers.

[Spates]

Such disappointing news. Masai transformed the organization into a movement the city could rally behind. We The North era will always stand as one of my favorite sports memories from my early twenties. Hopefully his leadership and culture setting has infused itself into the organization.

[Jcity08]

Best Exec we ever had point blank period. Whatever issues we had in the moment over team decision is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, dude was just a winner.

[S.W.A.N]

Best leader the raps have ever had.

[anotherhomer]

Raptors will never be the same.....

this reeks of the Gord Ash years, after Pat Gillick left

[Grew]

Love you Masai. Thanks for turning a joke of a team into a champion. 2019 best sports run in history.

[ratul]

The best. Yeesh. Thank you Messiah!

[PhilBlackson]

At least we now know why CMB cursed.

[Kevin Willis]

Thank you Masai.

[Wo1verine]

He helped brings us our only championship ill be forever grateful!

[Public_Enemy101]

It's going to hurt seeing him with another team or back in TO for special guest appearances.

The corporate hacks at the top of Toronto sports world are absolute cancers. It's going be a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time before we win anything meaningful again.

[littlerock2277]

If there was a way to put up his name in the rafters I hope we can do that! Thank you Masai for everything you have done for the raptors. Made something I found was impossible to do and bringing Toronto an nba championship. You will never be forgotten!

[TorontoRapsFan]

Thank you Masai for actually caring about making Toronto and Canada matter in the world of basketball.

The man is authentic and belive it or not that makes a huge positive difference on everything, basketball related and not.