Mavericks Name Masai Ujiri President in Front Office Shakeup

Mavericks appoint Masai Ujiri as President

The Dallas Mavericks are committed to being a world-class organisation with a strong culture and focused on “winning championships,” co-owner Patrick Dumont said.

The Mavericks, who reached the NBA Finals in 2024, named Ujiri president to lead a revival after their worst season since 2017-18...

The Dallas Mavericks hired former Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as team president on Monday, tasking him with rebuilding a club that made the NBA Finals in 2024.

Ujiri will take charge of all basketball operations, including roster decisions and scouting, as he works to overhaul a Mavericks team that finished 26-56 and missed the postseason for a second straight year.

Please join us in welcoming Masai Ujiri as our Team President!@Chime // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/Z5RN5GYCUX

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 4, 2026

“The Dallas Mavericks are committed to being a world-class organisation with a strong culture and focused on winning championships,” Mavericks co-owner Patrick Dumont said in announcing the move.

“Masai Ujiri is one of the great basketball leaders of this generation, and his addition to our franchise is a critical step in meeting our goals.”

Ujiri is 55 years old, born in England to Kenyan and Nigerian parents, and raised in Nigeria. He moved to the U.S. to pursue basketball and spent 10 years playing professionally across Europe.

He started in the NBA as an international scout for the Denver Nuggets, then joined the Toronto Raptors in 2008 as assistant general manager.

Ujiri returned to Denver in 2010 as general manager, becoming the first African to hold that role in a major U.S. pro league. He was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2013.

In 2013 he rejoined Toronto as executive vice president and GM, and was promoted to team president in 2016. The Raptors won the championship in 2019 under his leadership, and he remained with the club for 12 years before parting ways last June.

“I'm honoured to join the Dallas Mavericks and step into this role at such an important time for the organisation,” Ujiri said. “This is a franchise with a proud history, passionate fans, and a commitment to winning.

“I look forward to working with our players, coaches and leadership team to build something that reflects that standard and competes at the highest level. We will win in Dallas.”

Masai Ujiri's history as an NBA executive:

- Nuggets GM from 2010-13
- 2013 Executive of the Year with Nuggets
- Raptors GM from 2013-16; President from 2016-25
- Traded DeRozan for Kawhi, Danny Green
- Traded Valanciunas for Marc Gasol to build Raptors 2019 championship team
-… pic.twitter.com/5BWHUgGg6S

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 4, 2026

Even with NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg’s play, the Mavericks had their worst season since 2017-18. Nico Harrison was dismissed as president and GM in November, with Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi taking over in interim roles.

“We welcome (Ujiri's) energy and determination along with his leadership, experience and many accomplishments as a basketball executive,” Dumont said. “We are very excited about the future of our team.”