Former Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri has joined Serena Williams as a principal owner of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo, where he will oversee a new mentorship program for female coaches.
Masai Ujiri, the former Toronto Raptors president who led the franchise to its first NBA title, has officially joined Serena Williams as a principal owner of the WNBA’s expansion team, the Toronto Tempo, ahead of its inaugural season. The team announced via X that Ujiri who was born in England to a Kenyan mother and a Nigerian father will spearhead “Tempo Rising,” a coaching mentorship program designed to develop the next generation of female basketball leaders.
Ujiri, who recently spent time focusing on family and infrastructure projects in Africa, expressed his enthusiasm for the move to ESPN, stating, “I think women’s sports is growing in an incredible way… and to bring a brand like this for the first time to a city that I know… I think this will really resonate.” His transition to the 15-team league is bolstered by his long-standing professional ties with Kilmer Sports Ventures Chairman Larry Tanenbaum and Tempo President Teresa Resch.