Do not underestimate the power of cultural awareness and understanding in the international world of basketball. For Masai Ujiri, new Dallas Mavericks president and alternate general manager, navigating in multiple languages, customs, cultures and traditions is nothing new.
Born in England, raised in Nigeria, an executive in the American National Basketball Association over the last decades, Masai Ujiri is about as international as it gets.
Back when he was traveling the world as an international scout
– at the time he got to know new Dallas Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz – it must have given him an advantage compared to many in that world because of his background and exposure to different cultures early on.
One of the side effects – or bonuses – of being born into a world of multiple nationalities and cultures, is the fact that you learn how to adapt and adjust quickly. You learn the skill of observation – how do people do things here, what’s the unwritten rules, what is frowned upon – and you learn how to fit in no matter where you go.
That must have served as a major advantage for Masai Ujiri, as he found his footing in the international world of global basketball and started putting those skills to good use, both when scouting – and when networking. Something he is reportedly very good at.
Ujiri, who’s described as well-respected and charming, has always been good at making and keeping connections. Acquaintances even call him “very sweet” and “very thoughtful”. And very good at finding talent and creating an atmosphere that allows players to reach their full potential.
He started out as an unpaid scout with the Orlando Magic back in 2002 and moved to a paid scouting position with the Denver Nuggets in 2003. Seven years later, he was named the team’s general manager.
After winning the NBA’s Executive of the Year award with the Nuggets, he moved to Toronto. The Toronto Raptors then made the playoffs eight times during his 12 years in charge. Oh ya, and won their only championship in franchise history in 2019.
Understanding talent, and not being afraid to look outward and in new places to find hidden gems, Ujiri was part of drafting international players from places most people wouldn’t even have considered.
There’s Jakob Poeltl, an Austrian center, who the Raptors picked in 2016 with the number nine pick. And that same year, they used their number 27 pick to get a completely unknown wing player from Cameroon, who hadn’t played organized basketball for very long. That was Pascal Siakam, now a four-time NBA All-Star.
Ujiri’s international background has clearly helped make him a good judge of character. He also earned the reputation of being bold.
Working in the trenches of the scouting world for years, he met, connected and built relationships with numerous people all over the world. One of them is Mike Schmitz. And as soon as Masai Ujiri was offered the job as Dallas Mavericks president, he knew he wanted to bring Mike Schmitz along.
“You track people along the way, you pin-point those that stand out or those that have the talent you want for particular jobs, and he’s one of them,” Masai Ujiri said of Schmitz right after it became public that he had hired him as general manager earlier this month.
“I’ve done a lot of scouting internationally,” Schmitz said of Ujiri when he was introduced, “and when I first got in the scouting space and was out and about on the road, we’ve been in the same gyms for years and years.”
“Whether that’s in Africa, in Europe or in the states, I’m really thankful for that relationship and him bringing me on.”
According to Ujiri, Schmitz has a talent for finding hidden treasures and is not afraid to make bold decisions. Traits Ujiri seems to value highly.
Mike Schmitz worked as an assistant general manager for the Portland Trail Blazers the last four seasons, and was part of finding talents like Deni Avdija from Israel, who made the All-Star team this season. They also drafted a long list of future NBA talent. Before that, Schmitz worked as a draft analyst for ESPN and DraftExpress.com.
“I’ve known him (Mike Schmitz) for many, many years,” Ujiri said. “He’s an incredible scout, an incredible leader. He digs deep into work, data, and what you want to know about really scouting a player, team building, all those things.”
“Treating people well, scout organizing, managing people, it’s a whole package you want and it’s very important that we set a tone now for this organization because the fans, the organization, you (media) guys, everybody deserves that.”
And going back years also matters when it comes to something pivotal in business: trust.
“Obviously, we’ve had a long-standing relationship,” Schmitz said. “And I think just him being able to trust in me, and me being able to lean on him in a variety of different areas, so I think it’s going to work great.”
And hopefully, with this new leadership that doesn’t seem afraid to look outward and to try new things, hidden gems, diamonds in the rough and already successful players from other leagues will be considered in the same way as players who take the traditional route to the best league in the world.
Since parting ways with the Toronto Raptors last year, Masai Ujiri has spent most of his time working with his nonprofit, Giants of Africa, which puts on basketball camps, builds courts and provides education opportunities to children around Africa and in Nigeria, where he was raised.
