Nigerian born boss of Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri’s recent visit to Nigeria was exciting, especially to basketball lovers. He simply says he’s happy coming back to his roots for the annual giant of Africa basketball championships. At the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, he reflected on his lifestyle and basketball with Sunday Sun.
By Christy Anyanwu
Do you think basketball ball can be to Nigeria what football is to Nigeria?
I think basketball is a global sport now. It’s a sexy sport and people love it. It’s one of the most followed in terms of all the aspects outside the game that people like. People love following the players. I think it’s growing phenomenally worldwide and hopefully we will have courts everywhere too. Here we try to get lots of baskets to schools and different places where kids can play. That will really enhance the game here.
Why do you say basketball is a sexy game?
People like it. People follow it. People follow players; their lifestyle; people follow all the NBA players and people love them. The game is very attractive to youths, women and people that don’t even know much about the game. You watch the game and it’s very interesting. I think it’s one of the most exciting games to watch.
Is it sexy in terms of the gear or the players?
Everything. There’s always something new with NBA or there’s something new in basketball that’s trending. We in the NBA are proud of that and that we make an impact on youths and people around the world.
Why are you in the country?
I’m here for the annual Giant of Africa Basketball Championships. It’s good to be back home again. This is our fourth country; we started from Rwanda and we were in Uganda and Kenya. We visited Ivory Coast on Tuesday and we will be concluding the tour in Dakar, Senegal close to the end of the month. It’s been really exciting for us as we try to give something back to youths all over the continent.
I actually started with basketball in South Africa and obviously, being the director of that camp for the past 15 years has been very fulfilling especially bringing the game that we play in South Africa back home again for the second time. It was great working for Amaju Pinnick and the NBA commission as well as African NBA players during that game. We are back home now. I want to use this opportunity to thank Lagos State government for giving us the opportunity to run this camp in their facility here. I hope things like this will remind the Federal Government that the National Stadium is an eyesore. It’s time we take sports seriously in this country. That place should be shut down for two years and refurbished, in my opinion, to promote sports.
I can’t believe the facility is in that state and since I left this country many years ago, it’s still in that condition.
You have been working outside the country for a couple of years now. What do you miss about Nigeria?
I don’t miss the food because my wife cooks all the Nigerian dishes for me.
Is she Nigerian?
No, she’s half Guinean half Sierra Leonean.
How come she cooks Nigerian dishes?
She knows how to cook everything, egusi etc.
Did she learn from the Internet?
Well, she learnt from her mother-in-law, the Internet, friends and everybody. I miss Nigeria but I have a job that I do. I can truly say I’m a son of the continent, because I love the continent of Africa.
I love being here; it’s my happiest time in August when I do this work but I have to go back and do my job. Having that job is the reason I have this opportunity.
As a consummate sportsman, who was the greatest influence on you?
My parents influenced me and that has really helped. They taught me how to be a man from an early age. They taught me focus, to follow my passion and the importance of education. I’m proud of them.
Also, growing up in Zaria and seeing beautiful courts in ABU on our way to play football, all of a sudden we stopped and a group of our friends and us took the game up. Coach OBJ (Oliver Johnson) was very influential in my sports life. He was the one that really encouraged us to play.
Best moment as a basketball player?
That was in Dakar and in 1997 when I played for Nigeria.
Can you talk about your wife and family?
I like to keep it a bit personal but I have two beautiful kids; a boy and a girl. My wife’s dad is from Guinea and her mum is Sierra Leonean. We live a normal life. We love Africa and we try to give back as much as we can.
What attracted you to your wife?
There’s always something when you meet the person that you love. There’s always something. The best thing is, we are beautiful friends. We were great friends first and we fell in love.
How do you unwind?
I unwind with my family. I really like to chill at home. I read a lot but my kind of unwinding is playing with my two kids at home.
Your parents are here to watch, is this their first time?
They have come a couple times. They’ve been to Raptor games in Toronto. They understand what I do.
You have been to many places as a sportsman. What has life taught you?
I have to create opportunity for others. There’s no way that I can ever be successful without creating a path for these youths. See what life has brought me? Somebody else created opportunity for me and I have to create for others too.
You look really good, how do you cope with women?
I have a wife; I don’t have to cope with women.