Masai Ujiri will become a principal owner of the WNBA expansion team Toronto Tempo, which will begin play this season, the franchise announced Tuesday. Ujiri was the lead basketball executive in charge of the Toronto Raptors from 2013-2025, culminating in the franchise\u2019s only NBA title in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an honourary Canadian, I\u2019m excited to be part of the Tempo team as I believe they are building something truly historic \u2014 a franchise that represents not only Canada, but the future of basketball,\u201d Ujiri said in a statement. \u201cI believe deeply in the vision behind the Tempo: creating female leaders, elevating women not just on the court, but across the organization, and building championship culture from day one. This is more than just a new team \u2014 it\u2019s a defining moment in women\u2019s basketball globally.\u201d<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
The Tempo previously announced that Serena Williams would also be a principal owner of the franchise. Kilmer Sports Ventures, the sports group headed by long-time Toronto sports figure Larry Tanenbaum, is the majority owner of the franchise.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Ujiri and the Tempo said they will launch a global coaching mentorship program called Tempo Rising, which will support women-identifying and non-binary coaches who are beginning in competitive sports.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
\u201cMasai\u2019s leadership, his vision, and his deep belief in the power of sport make him an extraordinary addition to our ownership group,\u201d Tanenbaum said in the statement. \u201cIn his role as a principal owner, his influence and values align perfectly with what the Tempo stands for \u2014 equity, excellence, and purpose. Together, we will continue to build a franchise that reflects the best of what sport can do for communities here in Canada and around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
As president of the Raptors, Ujiri brought on Teresa Resch, now the president of the Tempo, to be a top executive in his front office. He also was especially close with Tanenbaum, a part-owner of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the company that owns the Raptors, Maple Leafs, Toronto FC and other entities in the city. In negotiating a new contract to remain with the Raptors, Ujiri became a vice chairman of the franchise in 2021.<\/p>\n
For most of Ujiri\u2019s time with the Raptors, Tanenbaum wielded the balance of power within MLSE, as competing telecommunications giants Rogers and Bell held equal stakes in the company. However, in September 2024, Rogers agreed to purchase Bell\u2019s equity in the franchise, making Edward Rogers, the executive chair of Rogers Control Trust, the most powerful person in MLSE.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
Tanenbaum and Rogers had clashed within MLSE repeatedly, including issues regarding Ujiri\u2019s 2021 contract, which made him among the highest paid executives in the NBA, and whether MLSE should pursue a WNBA team<\/a>. Eventually, Tanenbaum\u2019s Kilmer Sports Ventures went after a WNBA expansion team without the backing of MLSE.<\/p>\n The Raptors fired Ujiri days before last summer\u2019s offseason<\/a>, shortly before Rogers\u2019 purchase of Bell\u2019s stake became official. Ujiri\u2019s contract ran through the 2025-26 season. The Raptors did not replace Ujiri, instead extending the contract of Bobby Webster, Ujiri\u2019s top lieutenant for most his time in Toronto, to remain as general manager<\/a>. Webster is now the top executive in the Raptors\u2019 basketball operations.<\/p>\n