The Toronto Raptors' NBA Win Was a Two-Fold Historic Moment for Masai Ujiri

Not only was it the team's first ever championship win, the Nigerian-Kenyan General Manager is the first African to lead a basketball team to NBA championship victory.

The Toronto Raptors' NBA Win Was a Two-Fold Historic Moment for Masai Ujiri

Last night, the Toronto Raptors went in hard and emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors with a score of 4-2 in the best of seven NBA Finals. Now, while everybody is talking about how the team finally managed to get rid of Drake's dreaded courtside "curse", the Raptors' taking home the championship (historic in itself) is also a historic moment for the Canadian team's General Manager, Masai Ujiri.

The Nigerian-Kenyan former basketball player, named the 2012-2013 NBA Executive of the Year, is now the first African General Manager to ever take home an NBA championship.


Ujiri is smiling from ear-to-ear after his team dethroned the Golden State Warriors to become the NBA champions. If that weren't enough, Ujiri has been approached by the Washington Wizards who want him as their President of Basketball Operations according to the Bleacher Report. "

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, he reported that:

"Wizards owner Ted Leonsis is expected to reach out to Toronto ownership soon to request formal permission to meet with Ujiri and offer a staggering financial package that would include running the Wizards' basketball operations and, perhaps, taking on a larger leadership role in the Monumental Sports and Entertainment company that oversees the Wizards and NHL's Capitals."

It's no surprise that the Wizards would do pretty much anything at this point to get Ujiri in their camp. The team hasn't won an NBA championship since the 1977/1978 season. They'll certainly need all the help they can get and if anyone can expertly take on that mammoth task, it's definitely Ujiri.

Military official wearing green beret and camouflage uniform signs documents at desk while four officials stand behind, with Malian flag and African artwork in background.
News

As Mali Purge Streets Of French Names, Locals Wonder If It’s A Priority

The Malian military administration has renamed about 25 locations, including public institutions in a bid to shed itself of its French colonial history. However, some locals think this may render history incomplete.

Thandiwe Newton in a grey sleeveless dress, wearing red lipstick and crystal earrings, poses against a pink background
Arts + Culture

What's in A Name: How African Names Get Lost in Translation

From NBA stars to Grammy nominees, prominent Africans have often had their names misspelled or mispronounced. While some have pushed back and reclaimed it, others embrace it.