Nigerian former basketball star, Masai Ujiri’s shock move to Dallas Mavericks as the club’s team president and alternate governor has come under critical survey, with a couple of experts of the giants’ game warning that he will struggle to succeed there.
Sports247 reports that, though the experts recall Ujiri’s huge success story in winning USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA) title with Toronto Raptors in 2019, they reckon that it will be a different kettle of fish with The Mavericks.
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Such is the worry expressed by Yahoo Sports’ contributing writer, Chris Cwik, who cited a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania and warned that Ujiri may not find his new base as rosy as it was when he bossed Toronto Raptors from 2013 to 2025.
Cwik stated in his report, “Masai Ujiri’s time away from the NBA didn’t last long. Less than a year after parting ways with the Toronto Raptors, Ujiri is reportedly joining the Dallas Mavericks as the team’s new president and alternate governor.
“Ujiri, 55, has plenty of experience in that role. After working his way up through the Denver Nuggets, Ujiri joined the Raptors in 2013. He experienced plenty of success with the club, eventually becoming team president in 2016.
“A few years later, Ujiri helped the team win its first championship. In order to do so, Ujiri made a controversial trade — shipping away then-franchise icon DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard.
“The move wound up playing a pivotal role in the Raptors’ title, as Leonard proved to be the perfect fit with the Raptors. With the Mavericks, Ujiri will be tasked with turning around a franchise desperately in need of a strong, guiding hand at the top.
“The Mavericks haven’t fully recovered after trading Luka Dončić in 2025. That trade, at the time considered one of the most shocking in NBA history, resulted in the firing of then-general manager Nico Harrison less than a year later.
“Repeating his Raptors’ success could prove challenging, at least into the short term. Ujiri’s Raptors experienced success immediately, finishing above .500 in his first seven seasons. It may take more time for the Mavericks to clear that bar.”
