Home/NBA
feature-image
feature-image

It’s not every day someone goes from grinding unpaid scouting jobs to calling the shots for an NBA team and actually delivering a championship. But Masai Ujiri? He’s not just another exec in a tailored suit. His story’s straight out of a movie: heart, hustle, and a whole lot of vision. Whether it was spotting hidden gems before anyone else or pulling off that wild Kawhi trade, Ujiri built a legacy that still echoes across the league. And now? Everyone’s asking the million-dollar question, or rather, the multi-million-dollar one: how much is Masai Ujiri actually worth?

What is Masai Ujiri’s net worth?

See, when someone like Masai moves, the entire league watches. He didn’t just help the Raptors win; he flipped the script on how teams are built. Now that word’s out about his quiet exit from Toronto’s front office in June 2025, the spotlight’s back on him. What’s next for the man who reshaped Canadian basketball, and how much did he stack while doing it?

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Masai Ujiri’s net worth in 2025, although not publicly declared, is estimated to be well over $50 to 70 million. Sounds hefty, right? But for a guy who’s spent over a decade running one of the NBA’s most successful front offices, it makes total sense. He didn’t just draw up plays; he negotiated contracts, built culture, and added serious value to a franchise.

Most of his fortune comes from his long run with the Toronto Raptors. Starting in 2013, he quickly became one of the highest-paid execs in the game. And while he wasn’t officially an owner, insiders say his contracts had those sweet “equity-like” bonuses, if the team thrived or gained value, so did he. Toss in paid speaking gigs, global basketball summits, and likely a few smart investments along the way, and yeah, the man’s net worth is just as sharp as his front office moves, but how was he paid?

What is Masai Ujiri’s contract breakdown?

Ujiri’s last known contract after the Raptors’ 2019 title was a monster deal, at least for an exec. We’re talking around $15 million a year, yes, you read that right. And it likely included extra bonuses tied to things like revenue, performance, and maybe even franchise value growth.

So even though he didn’t get ownership, he probably benefited when the Raptors made money or the team’s value climbed. Given the NBA’s insane financial boom (teams going for $2 billion or more), it’s fair to say Ujiri got more than just his base salary.

Here’s a rough sketch of how that contract may have looked:

What’s your perspective on:

Is Masai Ujiri the most underrated mastermind in NBA history, or just another exec with a ring?

Have an interesting take?

2019-20$11MBase year after championship
2020-21$12.5MIncreased role, bonuses start kicking in
2021-22$14MContract extension talks begin
2022-23$15MFull VP + President control confirmed
2023-25$15M+Final years include equity-like elements

All said and done? That’s probably $70M+ across that stretch. Not bad for a guy who used to scout for free.

What is Masai Ujiri’s salary?

At his peak with the Raptors, Masai was making around $15 million a year. That’s more than what some rotation players in the league take home, and for good reason. He wasn’t just a suit in a skybox; he was the heartbeat of that franchise. The salary was more than money. It was about respect. Trust. The Raptors weren’t just hiring a GM; they were betting on a visionary. And he repaid that trust with a ring, culture-shifting trades, and global relevance.

article-image

There’s a good chance his total comp was more than just salary. Think bonuses, maybe percentages from league events, speaking fees, you name it. So while the $15 million is the headline number, the real payout might’ve gone even higher.

Masai Ujiri’s Career Earnings

Looking back, here’s a rough cut of what Ujiri may have earned over the years:

Denver NuggetsGM/Exec2010 – 2013$3M – $4M
Toronto RaptorsGM/President/VP2013 – 2025$90M+
Other EarningsEndorsements/Speaking gigs2013 – Present$1M – $2M+

That adds up to close to $1oo million-plus in career earnings! Factor in bonuses and investments? It tracks right with those net worth estimates.

A look at Masai Ujiri’s College and Professional Career besides Philanthropy

Before the Raptors. Before the suits. Masai Ujiri was just a kid from Zaria, Nigeria, with a dream and a jumper. He found his way to the U.S., first at a junior college in North Dakota, Bismarck State, then Montana State-Billings, grinding it out on the college circuit. He didn’t make it to the NBA as a player, but that hoop IQ? Off the charts.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

After hanging up his sneakers, he jumped into scouting. His first gig? Unpaid. Just grinding tape and hustling for a shot. But it paid off. Orlando brought him in, then the Denver Nuggets promoted him to GM, and that’s when the NBA really started paying attention. Then came the Toronto Raptors. And the Kawhi trade. And the chip. The man didn’t just build a team; he changed basketball in Canada forever. He turned “We the North” from a slogan into a legacy.

Money and rings are cool, but here’s where Masai stands out. He’s the founder of Giants of Africa, a nonprofit using basketball to empower young people across the continent. Camps, courts, scholarships, he’s helping build futures, not just rosters. He’s also huge on diversity and using sport to drive social change. Whether it’s creating pathways for African talent or speaking out on tough issues, Masai’s never shied away from the bigger picture.

article-image

via Imago

At home, it’s just as grounded. He’s married to Ramatu, and they’ve got two kids. For all the flights, finals, and front office calls, Ujiri’s still deeply involved in family and community. Because, for him, success isn’t just what you build, but it’s what you leave behind.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

So yeah, Masai Ujiri might be stepping away from Toronto, but don’t think for a second that he’s done making an impact. On the court, in boardrooms, or back home in Africa, his story’s far from finished. And honestly? We’re all just lucky to be watching it unfold.

ADVERTISEMENT

0
  Debate

Is Masai Ujiri the most underrated mastermind in NBA history, or just another exec with a ring?

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT