Latest news with #BasketballWithoutBorders
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Masai Ujiri ousted as president of the Toronto Raptors, executive led franchise to only title
Thirteen years ago, the Toronto Raptors were an afterthought, if they were thought of at all. The organization had missed the playoffs in nine of the previous 11 years. Then the franchise hired Masai Ujiri as its lead executive and things changed — the Raptors made smart decisions on players, built one of the best player development programs the league had seen, and turned itself into one of the top teams in the East led by beloved players such as Kyle Lowry, winning the franchise's only title in 2019. Ujiri was at the heart of turning the franchise around and he became one of the most respected executives in the NBA. The franchise has reportedly quadrupled in value since he was put in charge of basketball operations. Ujiri is now out as Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) announced Friday, the day after the NBA draft. Ujiri was about to enter the final year of his contract. The rest of the front office staff, including general manager Bobby Webster, remain in place, and the team will begin a search for a new president. It will be interesting to see who Toronto can bring into a job where the GM is already in place and just extended his contract, combined with the fact that MLSE has shrunk its president role with other sports organizations it owns, such as the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, reports Josh Lewenberg of TSN. Advertisement Ujiri was born and raised in Nigeria and, with that, has been instrumental in the NBA's growth on that continent and internationally, at one point serving as the director of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program. He has been actively involved in numerous charitable programs in Canada and internationally as well. On the court, the Raptors struggled to a 30-52 record last season and have missed the playoffs three consecutive years. That said, they have rebuilt a roster that could well return the team to the postseason if healthy, led by Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and center Jakob Poeltl. Of that group, only Barrett played in 65+ games last season due to injuries. If Ujiri wants to jump to another team immediately, there will be plenty of offers — teams have tried to poach him out of Toronto multiple times over the previous years, but he has remained loyal. Until the organization did not.
NBC Sports
27-06-2025
- Business
- NBC Sports
Masai Ujiri ousted as president of the Toronto Raptors, executive led franchise to only title
Thirteen years ago, the Toronto Raptors were an afterthought, if they were thought of at all. The organization had missed the playoffs in nine of the previous 11 years. Then the franchise hired Masai Ujiri as its lead executive and things changed — the Raptors made smart decisions on players, built one of the best player development programs the league had seen, and turned itself into one of the top teams in the East led by beloved players such as Kyle Lowry, winning the franchise's only title in 2019. Ujiri was at the heart of turning the franchise around and he became one of the most respected executives in the NBA. The franchise has reportedly quadrupled in value since he was put in charge of basketball operations. Ujiri is now out as Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) announced Friday, the day after the NBA draft. Ujiri was about to enter the final year of his contract. MLSE parts ways with Raptors President and Vice Chairman Masai Ujiri The rest of the front office staff, including general manager Bobby Webster, remain in place, and the team will begin a search for a new president. It will be interesting to see who Toronto can bring into a job where the GM is already in place and just extended his contract, combined with the fact that MLSE has shrunk its president role with other sports organizations it owns, such as the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, reports Josh Lewenberg of TSN. Ujiri was born and raised in Nigeria and, with that, has been instrumental in the NBA's growth on that continent and internationally, at one point serving as the director of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program. He has been actively involved in numerous charitable programs in Canada and internationally as well. Thank you, Masai On the court, the Raptors struggled to a 30-52 record last season and have missed the playoffs three consecutive years. That said, they have rebuilt a roster that could well return the team to the postseason if healthy, led by Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and center Jakob Poeltl. Of that group, only Barrett played in 65+ games last season due to injuries. If Ujiri wants to jump to another team immediately, there will be plenty of offers — teams have tried to poach him out of Toronto multiple times over the previous years, but he has remained loyal. Until the organization did not.
Boston Globe
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Five things to know about Celtics' second-round draft pick Amari Williams
He was productive at the mid-major and high-major levels Williams came off the bench as a freshman for Drexel, which plays in the mid-major Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), but emerged as one of the league's top players in his sophomore year. Advertisement He won CAA Defensive Player of the Year three consecutive seasons and was a first-team All-CAA selection in his final two years at Drexel, averaging 12.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a senior while leading the Dragons to a second-place finish in the league. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Williams received a major jump in competition with his transfer to Kentucky in a loaded SEC, and he was a key piece for a Wildcats team that reached the Sweet 16. At Kentucky, he became just the second men's player in SEC history — and 25th in NCAA history — to record at least 375 points, 300 rebounds, 100 assists, 40 blocks and 20 steals in a single season. He has a history with Great Britain's junior national teams Advertisement The Nottingham, England, native grew up playing both basketball and soccer before deciding to focus strictly on basketball in his mid-teens. He took part in Great Britain's national program at the Under-16, Under-18, and Under-20 levels, and got onto the radar of college coaches with his performances at global tournaments including the NBA Academy Games and Basketball Without Borders. When he debuts with the Celtics, he will become just the third active NBA player from England. He is an excellent passer One of Williams's top attributes is his playmaking ability. He averaged 3.2 assists per game at Kentucky and was lauded for his ability to find backdoor cutters and use his long reach to pass over the top of defenses. He was tied for the Wildcats' team lead in assists with 115, the most ever tallied by a 7-footer at Kentucky in a single season. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie wrote that 'Williams could be a terrific passing big man in an era when just about every team is playing five-out even with non-shooting bigs.' His offensive game is primarily around the basket Williams is a traditional center on the offensive end, with a game predicated on post touches, finishing around the rim, and crashing the offensive glass. He took only four three pointers last season, and 30 in 141 collegiate games. Williams was efficient around the rim last season, shooting a team-high 56.1 percent from the field and 64 percent on shot attempts at the rim. He also has displayed a consistent ability to get to the line over his college career, averaging above five free throw attempts per game each of the past three seasons (he shot 62.3 percent at the stripe last year). Advertisement His defensive versatility will be critical to NBA success Williams has all the requisite measurables of an NBA big man and racked up numerous defensive accolades in college for his high-end interior defense. But his future with the Celtics will be determined in large part by his ability to translate his defensive game against the talent and screen-heavy play style of the modern NBA. Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor writes that 'he does a great job of playing his angles as a drop coverage defender,' but warns that 'he struggles to recover when he's pulled out to the perimeter. He can't be relied on to switch screens. Asking him to defend a 3-point shooting big would not go well at this stage of his career.' Likewise, Vecenie notes that 'NBA players will turn the corner against him far too easily. The good news is that he has the length to recover in these circumstances. But he needs to become utterly elite with his angles in drop coverage to make this work.' Matty Wasserman can be reached at
Straits Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
NBA Finals an ‘amazing' showcase for basketball, says stars Tyrese Maxey and Derrick White
Philadelphia 76ers' All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey (right) at the Basketball Without Borders Asia camp in Singapore on June 22. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE – As the tension builds ahead of the decider for the National Basketball Association title, the drama of the Finals has left little doubt that the game is in a good place, said NBA stars Derrick White and Tyrese Maxey. The duo are gushing with pride as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers battle for glory on June 22 (June 23, Singapore time) at the Paycom Centre after a close battle in the best-of-seven series. Philadelphia 76ers' All-Star guard Maxey said: 'I feel like the play-offs this year has been amazing, honestly, second to none. This Finals series has been amazing for basketball. 'I think Oklahoma City and Indiana have really showed the world a different way of basketball, a different way how things can go. So I'm very appreciative of them for that, and I'm excited to see who wins the game.' White, who helped the Boston Celtics win the 2024 title, added: 'For the Finals, it's been great. I don't know what's going to happen in Game 7. Anything can happen, and these are two teams that play hard and play the right way. And so it's definitely been a good Finals.' The pair are in town alongside Portland Trail Blazers centre Duop Reath, and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) legend Ticha Penicheiro, for the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp, which is part of the global basketball development and community outreach programme of International Basketball Federation (Fiba) and the NBA. Both Maxey and White agreed with the assessment of NBA icon and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who said at the Fanatics Fest in New York on June 21 that 'the game of basketball is the best it's ever been'. White, 30, said: 'Obviously the league, the talent, all the players, are having a lot of fun. It's in a good spot, and it's a lot of fun to be a part of it.' The Boston Celtics' Derrick White (right) at the Basketball Without Borders Asia camp on June 22. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Maxey, 24, noted how the play-offs have seen several players step up, with the Pacers' offensive depth a big factor in their run to the Finals. 'There are a lot of different players that can do a lot of different things. I read a stat about Indiana, that they have seven or eight players who had 15 or more (points) in the play-offs. That's amazing. That means (on) any given night, somebody could go off and somebody could score the ball, and somebody can impact the game. So I feel like that's where the game is going. 'The teams that are going to go out there and try to find depth are going to be very successful.' In the Game 6 win over the Thunder on June 19, the Pacers had six players score in double figures, and in the six games in the Finals, the Pacers have had four players lead the team in scoring – Pascal Siakam in Games 1, 4 and 5, Tyrese Haliburton in Game 2, Bennedict Mathurin in Game 3 and Obi Toppin in Game 6. The Pacers are also the first team in NBA history to have eight players score over 200 points each in a single postseason run. Besides Maxey and White, a group of assistant coaches, including Jared Dudley from Dallas Mavericks, Ronald Nored (Atlanta Hawks), Vinay Bhavnani (Toronto Raptors), and Khalid Robinson (Golden State Warriors) are in Singapore for the four-day basketball camp from June 19 to 22 at the Singapore Basketball Centre. The camp, featuring 30 boys and 30 girls aged 17 and under from 17 countries and territories, is part of a festival that will culminate with the NBA Rising Stars Invitational from June 25 to 29. One of the Singaporean participants, Tricia Lau, 17, cited the eye-opening experience of playing with the best players and learning from them. She said: 'I learnt that we have a lot to work on – like energy levels are super important. And every single person has their own role on the court and everyone cannot be stagnant and everyone has to do something. 'On court, I learnt we need to be more confident in ourselves. We have to have the confidence to take players on one-on-one and be more selfish with the ball. I also learnt that although I'm not able to contribute much on the offensive side, as long as I play my role defensively, I can contribute a lot to the team. ' BWB graduates who eventually found their way to the NBA include the current Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, and Maxey's teammate Joel Embiid. Centre Embiid, who struggled with multiple injuries as the 76ers missed the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 season, played in only 19 games while forward Paul George, only featured in 41 games in an injury-riddled debut season with the Sixers. So it is no wonder that Maxey's answer to what his team need next season is short and sweet. 'I think we got to be healthy, really healthy, (then) we have a chance,' he said. The Celtics also have injury issues to contend with for next season as they are likely to be without leading scorer Jayson Tatum, who had surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon during the Eastern Conference semi-finals before the team were eliminated by the New York Knicks. When asked how big a blow Tatum's absence would be to their title ambitions, White said: 'Honestly, losing JT, it's tough, but he's going to do everything he can to get better, get back playing with us whenever he's able to... but that's the expectation (to compete for the title) every time you put on that uniform.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Celtics' Derrick White Makes Big Announcement
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As the Boston Celtics get ready for a crucial offseason, the front office has a lot of work to do around the roster. Due to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Boston may have to shed major salaries this summer to avoid any severe penalties. This could see the Celtics break up the core group of players that helped them win a title last season. But due to the salary issues and the Achilles injury to star Jayson Tatum, the Celtics could look very different next year. One player who has seen their name be thrown into trade talks is guard Derrick White. White has been an instrumental piece to the Celtics' overall success and has become a fan favorite in Boston. Boston isn't likely to trade White, barring an offer that they can't refuse. But ahead of the offseason, the Celtics guard did make an announcement. White will be participating in the NBA's 2025 Basketball Without Borders program. The guard will be joined by a few other NBA players, notably Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers, center Duop Reath of the Portland Trail Blazers, and WNBA legend Ticha Penicheiro. NEW: Derrick White is headed to Singapore next week to coach a Basketball Without Borders camp for some of the top youth players in Asia-Pacific. More for @celticsblog: — Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) June 13, 2025 White will be going to Singapore between June 19-22, and will work with NBA assistant coaches as well. Vinay Bhavnani of the Toronto Raptors, Jared Dudley of the Dallas Mavericks, Ronald Nored of the Atlanta Hawks, and Khalid Robinson of the Golden State Warriors will all be there. Basketball Without Borders is a basketball camp that is organized by the NBA =, in conjunction with FIBA. The program hosts camps across 33 different countries, helping to interact with more than 4,600 participants. Troy Justice, the NBA's senior vice president and head of International Basketball Operations, released a statement on the program. "Bringing Basketball Without Borders back to Singapore reflects our commitment to growing the game in the country and across Asia-Pacific," Justice said. "This year's camp is particularly special, as it will coincide with our new basketball and entertainment festival and the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, our first regional high-school basketball tournament. We look forward to a memorable week of events that will leave a lasting impact on fans and players from across the region." BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 14: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basket against the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs... BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 14: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basket against the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 14, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts More Photo byThis should be a cool experience for White, and allows him to five back to the basketball world. White is a do-everything type of player on the court, and he has built out a solid career for himself. The veteran guard is loved in Boston, and it's more than likely that he will return next season, even with all the rumors going around. Boston can't afford to lose a player like him, especially if they want to still compete for a title next season. More NBA news: Nuggets' Russell Westbrook Makes a Surprising Decision on NBA Future Celtics Could Have Perfect Trade Partner With New Jrue Holiday Rumors For more news and stories on the NBA, visit NBA on Newsweek.
