Top 108 Quotes & Sayings by Masai Ujiri - Page 2

You don't have to be a leader of a big organization. You can be a leader of your brother, of a young kid, of your community. That way you affect life, someway, somehow.

I have to give back. For me, it would be a failure if I could not give back.

I couldn't shoot. When I went to play in Europe, I learned to shoot better. I could jump, so people would just back off of me.

I grew up in northern Nigeria.

I have a mandate to win and that's what I want to do.

When my mom travelled, she would bring me basketball tapes.

I don't really watch any TV. I'll glance at the TV sometimes if my wife's watching 'Empire' or 'Scandal.' I'll sit with her for an episode. But I don't have a TV show that I watch.

Look at the teams that have been successful in the NBA. Yes, you have big, glamorous cities like L.A. But Miami has won, and so has San Antonio. Oklahoma City is a very successful team. They're not the biggest markets.

Sport can change the world.

One of Giants of Africa's fundamental mottos is - Dream Big. We believe that basketball can be used as a tool to educate and develop youth around the world to accomplish their dreams.

Two of the most difficult parts of our business is trades and when a player leaves.

The more you give, the more you grow.

That's why we play sports, is to compete for championships.

Whether it's drafting or player development, the ultimate is putting a team together.

I am confident about who I am as a person, my character, and as a human being.

I understand my job and what the job is and what has to be done basketball wise. I do that 24/7 and it's a huge priority for me, but I cannot be in this job and not try to affect the youth of Africa, or the youth around the world, even. Help other people in some kind of way.

I focus on very few things in life - my work, my family, my friends. Those things are important to me and I pay good attention to them, and everything else just comes and goes.

I study history. I study the game. I study the NBA and the team I'm working for very, very closely.

When you get a chance to get a top five player, which doesn't come very often, you have to jump on it.

You want to win in the NBA you want to build a culture and teams will always do that and try to win. It's cutthroat. All 30 teams want to be that way whether they are rebuilding, have young players, have a style of play. It doesn't matter, everybody wants to win.

I love the work that I do.

My dad always taught me that you have to be good to the next person all the time because one person is going to help another person.

Our job is to find out what's the next thing that is going to be advantageous to us and contribute to winning.

You have to be unique in your own ways and the ways that you play to find a way to win. You can't always go with the trend that's going on. Sometimes you have to create the trend yourself and be confident in it.

I'm proud of Toronto. I'm proud of Canada. I'm proud of the NBA. I'm very proud of it.

Boy or girl, the youth of the world deserve opportunity and we as leaders have to be the ones that at least create a path for them.

I represent a great continent. People ask, Is there pressure on me? I don't feel pressure at all. It's an unbelievable challenge for me, but I feel like I carry the weight of my continent on my shoulders. I want to help the next generation in Africa.

I was honestly more talented in soccer than in basketball. I don't think I'd have gone anywhere in soccer. But I think I was more talented in soccer.

It's my responsibility to put a team on the floor that will win, and that attracts players.

To build a winning culture, you are going to have to prove yourself.

I was one of those athletic African players.

It doesn't matter where you are - it could be Timbuktu - if you win, people will watch, they'll follow and they'll support.

Players want to go where the team wins and where the team has a great culture, ownership and all of that. It doesn't matter where you are. It really doesn't matter, you have to perform and you have to win.

Nelson Mandela knew that sport has the power to inspire and unite people in a way that little else does.

I have a mother. I have a wife. I have a daughter. I have sisters. I can see just in my experience in my life, where sometimes they have been just put to the side in some of the things that they do.

We're going to have tough times. We're going to have five-game losing streaks. Everybody goes through it.

To be honest, women just make us smarter. They make us better. I've noticed that in my workplace. I've noticed that at home. I've noticed that in my past experiences in life.

It's easy to defend, in my opinion, when you play one-on-one.

I love it here. I really do. Toronto is home for me.

There were great European players that were great basketball players that did not make it in the NBA... This is the best league in the world.

We will not be caught in no man's land.

My city too turnt up, Ill take a fine for that.

People have these perceptions; maybe they've been here for a day, or have only heard about it. It was like when I first came to work here. You want to see the clean city that is always talked about, how nice the people are, the restaurants, the vibe, how diverse the city is. That's what we want to show: what an enjoyable city it is, what a great city it is. Forget about basketball.

What is happening in Nigeria is an absolute atrocity.

There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%

I concluded that I'm a competitor. And, whatever happens, you keep leading. You can't fear anybody. Why? Because at the end of the day, I might not be in this job a couple of years from now. I'm here to win.

Honestly, I think winning changes all of that. It doesn't matter where you are - it could be Timbuktu - if you win, people will watch, they'll follow and they'll support. It's my responsibility to put a team on the floor that will win, and that attracts players. Look at the teams that have been successful in the NBA. Yes, you have big, glamorous cities like L.A. But Miami has won, and so has San Antonio. Oklahoma City is a very successful team. They're not the biggest markets.

We have to move the meter in sports in Africa, especially basketball. With the growth of the NBA globally, we have to figure out more ways to develop facilities, coaching, leagues, and youth development in Africa. The talent is incredible. Especially physically. How do we get the youth to start playing at an early age just like in soccer? The future is bright. We now have an NBA office in Africa, we have legends and Hall of Famers, we have African assistant coaches, front office members, and some prominent African players over the last 10 years. So we must plan well for the next 10.