Masai Ujiri Shares Heartfelt Message To Raptors Fans In Final Goodbye

Masai Ujiri has officially said goodbye to the Toronto Raptors and its fans.

The former Raptors president shared a personal video through the Giants of Africa YouTube Channel.

Ujiri spoke at length about his time with the Raptors organization.

“Toronto, Canada, I love you. Country that welcomed me, the city that became home, this bond we share will last forever,” Ujiri said.

The Raptors parted ways with Ujiri a day after the 2025 NBA Draft, ending a 12-year run which saw the Raptors reach historic heights. Ujiri helped engineer the Raptors first NBA Championship in 2019. Following his departure, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment didn’t point out a specific reason why Ujiri was dismissed and praised him for the job he did. Meanwhile, Ujiri was silent in the aftermath of the decision and made brief remarks about what happened on Good Morning America last week.

Ujiri’s impact went beyond just transforming the Raptors. He served as a cultural ambassador and showed great commitment to his social work through Giants of Africa:

“My goal has always been to win, to make change that transforms the landscape so that young leaders can rise. With Giants of Africa, we use basketball as a tool, providing access to space, wellness, and collaboration, empowering and strengthening our communities.”

Ujiri ended the video with a message to the fans and organization:

“To the Raptors family, to our fans, every single player that’s worn the uniform with passion and pride, I love you and I thank you. This team has reached the summit once before. With strong leadership in place, the Raptors will continue to climb that mountain back to an NBA title. You will win again in Toronto.”

It’s unclear what’s next for Ujiri, however it seems like he’s not done with basketball just yet. He will definitely garner a lot of interest from teams around the league. As for the Raptors, they will likely fill their president vacancy at some point this year.

Masai Ujiri opens up about his departure from Raptors

Masai Ujiri first opened up about his departure from the Raptors on Good Morning America last week.

He joined host Robin Roberts to promote his Giants of Africa program and he briefly talked about his time in Toronto.