It’s been a busy off-season for Masai Ujiri, and for the first time in a long time, it’s not because of the Toronto Raptors. With his executive produced film, Origin: The Story of the Basketball Africa League, premiering at TIFF on September 8th
, the former Raptors president is set for a public splash in the entertainment industry. But, that’s not the only area into which Masai is deepening his reach.Ujiri has recently been appointed a Sustainable Development Goal Advocate by the United Nations,
acting as an ambassador for the UN’s SDG program. There are 17 total goals, including the ending of poverty and hunger worldwide, as well as a number of commitments to environmental justice and social equality. Masai called his appointment “a tremendous honor,” as he enters a star-studded group of ambassadors including the Queen of Belgium and the President of Microsoft, as well as Toronto’s own, content creator Lilly Singh. The former president’s qualifications stem from his place as the head of Giants of Africa, a non-profit group centred around basketball, hosting camps, building courts, and providing support to young people throughout Africa.
Since his July 27th departure from the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri has shown no interest in leaving the world of sports, doubling down on his role as a figure in African basketball in the short term. However, the beginning of his role at the United Nations suggests a potential future as a part of the wider international community, beyond an exclusive focus on athletics.
