Story perspectives

Mavericks Appoint Masai Ujiri President After Doncic Trade

5/5/2026

Summary

Ujiri Leads Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri as team president and alternate governor.
Ujiri will oversee all basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel and scouting.
He replaces Nico Harrison, who was fired after the February trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ujiri previously guided the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship and earned NBA Executive of the Year in 2012-13 with Denver.

Summary

Ujiri Expands Mavericks

Masai Ujiri co-founded Giants of Africa, a nonprofit launched in 2003 that runs basketball camps and builds infrastructure in more than a dozen African countries.
He recently joined the ownership group of the WNBA expansion franchise Toronto Tempo.
Mavericks officials say Ujiri’s global outreach and nonprofit experience will help expand Dallas’s international brand, community programs, and overseas talent pipelines.

Summary

Ujiri Joins Mavericks

Ujiri was appointed to the Mavericks' top basketball executive slot after it had remained vacant since November 2025.
He joined the Raptors in 2013 as executive vice president and general manager, later became president, and orchestrated the 2018 DeMar DeRozan trade, acquired Kawhi Leonard, and drafted O.J. Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes.
Ujiri co-owns the Toronto Tempo with Serena Williams, and the franchise will debut its inaugural WNBA season on May 8 against the Washington Mystics.

History

Historical Context

After FIBA opened Olympic basketball to NBA players in April 1989, the 1992 Barcelona Dream Team dominated, winning gold by an average 43.8-point margin. That global showcase launched the NBA’s overseas expansion, a trend the Dallas Mavericks echo by appointing Masai Ujiri as president, continuing the league’s push for international leadership.

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Ujiri Leads Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri as team president and alternate governor.
Ujiri will oversee all basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel and scouting.
He replaces Nico Harrison, who was fired after the February trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ujiri previously guided the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship and earned NBA Executive of the Year in 2012-13 with Denver.

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