Masai Ujiri Named in Time's 100 Most Influential in Sports

Masai Ujiri, the Nigerian-born executive, has been included in Time Magazine’s "The 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026," a list that also features notable figures such as FIFA President Gianni Infantino and NBA star Stephen Curry. Ujiri, who was born in England and raised in Nigeria, is currently part of the ownership group for the WNBA expansion franchise Toronto Tempo.

He has a distinguished history in basketball, having won the NBA Executive of the Year award in 2013 while serving as General Manager for the Denver Nuggets. Ujiri is credited with transforming the Toronto Raptors during the 2018-2019 season by trading popular player DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard, leading to the Raptors' championship victory.

He is also a co-founder of the Giant Africa Basketball Initiative, which aims to build basketball courts across Africa, and has been instrumental in expanding sports infrastructure on the continent.