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Dallas Mavericks hire former Raptors president Masai Ujiri to lead basketball operations

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Published  May 5, 2026 11:34am CDT
Dallas Mavericks
FOX 4
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The Brief

    • The Mavericks hired former Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as team president to oversee all basketball operations and roster construction.
    • Ujiri previously led Toronto to their 2019 NBA title and is a past winner of the league’s Executive of the Year award.
    • The organization will formally introduce Ujiri to the public during a news conference scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks have hired longtime NBA executive Masai Ujiri as team president and alternate governor. 

Ujiri is one of the league’s most accomplished front-office leaders in the NBA and has now been picked to help guide the Dallas Maverick's basketball operations.

Masai Ujiri’s new role with the Mavericks

What we know:

The team announced the move Monday, ending a search that lasted several months. After operating with co-interim general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi following Nico Harrison’s departure in November.

55-year-old Masai Ujiri will oversee all aspects of basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel and scouting, while helping shape the organization’s long-term vision alongside ownership and business leadership.

What they're saying:

"The Dallas Mavericks are committed to being a world-class organization with a strong culture and focused on winning championships," governor Patrick Dumont said in a statement. 

"Masai Ujiri is one of the great basketball leaders of this generation and his addition to our franchise is a critical step in meeting our goals."

Ujiri’s NBA front office history

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES - MAY 12: Atlanta Hawks wins the NBA draft lottery in Chicago, United States on May 12, 2024. The Atlanta Hawks won the NBA draft lottery on Sunday, landing the No. 1 pick and a potential cornerstone player in a year where ther

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The backstory:

Ujiri began his NBA career as an international scout with Orlando and Denver before rising to lead the Nuggets’ basketball operations in 2010. He was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2013 after guiding Denver to a 57-win season, becoming the first African-born executive to lead a major North American professional sports franchise.

He is regarded as one of basketball’s most respected executives, known for his ability to build competitive rosters while maintaining long-term flexibility.

SPAIN - 2022/01/12: In this photo illustration a NBA logo seen displayed on a smartphone with a NBA logo in the background. (Photo Illustration by Thiago Prudencio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Dig deeper:

Ujiri arrives in Dallas after more than a decade leading NBA front offices. His most notable job was with the Toronto Raptors, where he served as president and helped deliver the franchise’s first NBA title in 2019. He built that championship team through a series of bold moves, including trading for Kawhi Leonard in a deal that sent fan favorite DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio.

The Raptors went 545-419 during Ujiri’s 13 seasons running basketball operations, reaching at least 48 wins in each of his first seven years. After Leonard’s departure, Ujiri oversaw a rebuild centered on players such as Scottie Barnes, while also drafting key contributors to the title team, including Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.

When is the Masai Ujiri press conference?

What's next:

The Mavericks are scheduled to introduce Ujiri at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by the NBA.

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