Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri Releases A Statement; Says Altercation Happened Because He Is Black

 

Ujiri has demanded justice over June's incident with a deputy.

(c) NBA

After video surfaced showing a deputy police officer shoving Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri twice as he walked to celebrate the team's championship celebration last June, he has released an official statement.

"Thank you to everybody who has expressed disappointment and concern regarding the video that was recently released. My family and I are deeply grateful for your care and consideration.

The video sadly demonstrates how horribly I was treated by a law enforcement officer last year in the midst of my team, the Toronto Raptors, winning its first world championship. It was an exhilarating moment of achievement for our organization, for our players, for our city, for our country, and for me personally, given my long-tenured professional journey in the NBA. Yet, unfortunately, I was reminded in that moment that despite all of my hard work and success, there are some people, including those who are supposed to protect us, who will always and only see me as something that is unworthy of respectful engagement. And, there’s only one indisputable reason why that is the case - because I am Black.

What saddens me most about this ordeal is that the only reason why I am getting the justice I deserve in this moment is because of my success. Because I’m the President of a NBA team, I had access to resources that ensured I could demand and fight for my justice. So many of my brothers and sisters haven’t had, don’t have, and won’t have the same access to resources that assured my justice. And that’s why Black Lives Matter.

And that’s why it’s important for all of us to keep demanding justice. Justice for George. Justice for Breonna. Justice for Elijah. Justice for far too many Black lives that mattered. And justice for Black people around the world, who need our voice and our compassion to save their lives.

Those are the ties that bind us.

With love and determination,

Masai Ujiri."

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On Tuesday, Toronto Raptors President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri claimed in legal papers that it was he who was assaulted by a deputy officer (Alan Strickland) after his team won the NBA Finals last year, not the other way around as the sheriff’s deputy alleged. ⁣ ⁣ Ujiri’s contention came in his legal response to Alan Strickland’s litigation, which claims Ujiri hit him trying to access the court after the final buzzer of the 2019 NBA Finals.⁣ ⁣ Strickland also sued the NBA and the league responded saying, "Plaintiff's injuries, if any were caused by Plaintiffs' own aggressive acts and reasonable and justified acts in self-defense resulting directly from Plaintiffs' aggression."⁣ ⁣ (🎥: Twitter/Diamond83)⁣ ⁣ More details to come.⁣ ⁣ #TheBingeStop⁣ #TheBingeStopNews⁣ #MasaiUjiri⁣ #NBA⁣ #Toronto⁣ #TorontoRaptors

A post shared by The Binge Stop (@thebingestop) on Aug 19, 2020 at 3:55am PDT

 

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