The former Nigerian international guard had held the same position at Denver as at Toronto, and considerably changed the fortunes of both franchises while in charge. At Denver, he became the first non-American to be named Executive of the Year, when he won the award at the end of the 2012/13 season. In his four years at Toronto, the Raptors have qualified for the playoffs every season after failing to make the grade the previous five years. That was the man New York Knicks wanted to hire, before reported issues around compensations seemed to scupper any potential deal; Ujiri has only recently signed a new five-year deal with the Raptors.

He is also the director of the Basketball Without Borders program, a channel he opened up for basketball tendrils to grow out of Africa. Ujiri, who had scouted for franchises across the NBA, and had overseen the transition of major talents from the continent into American colleges over the years, wants to see more of these talents in the NBA. The challenge however, is that, according to him, African players are introduced to the game too late, and the skill set they have is not always enough to get them into the League, simply because soccer is the first love of many.

A part of the answer is the BWB programme, and he told Kwesé Sports in Johannesburg on the opening day of the 2017 edition, just how important the program is to the process of creating a way for the youths of the continent:

“This camp is pretty important and pretty special. First of all growing up on the African continent, we didn’t have the opportunity of seeing so many NBA stars, and we didn’t have coaches come teach the game,” Ujiri said. They now have the opportunity.

The Toronto GM, who has some graduates of the program who didn’t make it into the NBA working as officials of the BWB, also underlined the importance of participants getting more than just basketball knowledge from the program:

“This is also a chance [for the youngsters] to interact with different people in the business, because in this day and age it’s not all of these kids that will make the NBA. And five, six, seven years from now, they will remember the life skills they learnt from this place. It will be pretty powerful for them.”

The other huge goal Ujiri has set for himself, though, is to ensure another NBA executive comes out of Africa. He insists the dream drives him:

“I always say this: I don’t want to say I get nervous about it because I will be a failure if there aren’t any more [African NBA executives]. I have to create a path for others to succeed, come be in my position, be better. That’s the part I dream of the most.” With that declaration, Ujiri set himself a tough goal. He is the first non-American to be named the GM of an NBA franchise and the only man of color who is not a former NBA player to hold the position.

Despite this, his conviction is not flagging, because he believes that, just as Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo and Luol Deng cracked the ceiling on the hardwood, the executive ceiling will soon be shards of glass, given the right circumstances:

“I see these people, hundreds of people, these kids, [some of whom I think are] way smarter and who could have done more [than they achieved]. Sometimes all they need is the right opportunity, that break. And maybe using your resources a little better; connections, networks, education, all those things put together. My dream is that there is a lot more to come. Before me, after me, better and we keep going.”

Those are long-term goals. For now, he has a simple wish: that Team Africa will have enough in the tank to avenge the NBA Africa Game 1 loss to Team World, and win this second game of the series.

“I’m hoping. That’s my hope [that Africa gets a win]. I think it’s going to be pretty good.”

The whole of Africa is hoping. First, for a win on Saturday and then, for talented players and general managers to flood the NBA.

By Akinbode Oguntuyi