Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri is under investigation for suspicion of misdemeanor battery on a police officer during the NBA Finals, according to an ESPN report.
The alleged incident occurred on the Oracle Arena floor at Oracle Arena after the Raptors captured Game 6 to clinch the championship. Ujiri was stopped by a deputy, according to Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, as he tried to join the celebration on the floor.
“Mr. Ujiri was unknown to the deputy at that time. He [the deputy] asked him for a credential,” said Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office. “He shoved the deputy out of the way and walked toward the court. The deputy pushed back. The president came forward more with a more significant push and ended up striking the deputy in the face.”
Ujiri watched the end of the game on television outside the Raptors’ locker room, then came through the tunnel to the floor to join the celebration.
The NBA requires extra credentials to gain access to the floor when the series is clinched, the report notes. Kelly claimed Masai either didn’t have the credentials or didn’t show them.
A season ticket holder who was standing next to the officer told The Associated Press’ Rob Gillies that officer didn’t ask for Ujiri’s credential. The same fan also said Ujiri did not strike the officer in the face (Twitter link).
The investigation should be completed by next week.
The Wizards are changing their offer now. It’s 9,9m…
oakland revenge?
Ujiri is as classy as the Raptors fan base I see. How’s it feel knowing your one and only championship was only won because 2 of the other team’s best players were out injured? Congratulations, that’s like beating the Patriots without Tom Brady playing.
1) tom Brady is overrated
2) this comment sucks
How could you possibly critique another comment while also calling Tom Brady “overrated”
1) You’re a troll.
2) See comment #1.
Like any other chip? Which chip isn’t won without some major injuries. A chip is a chip.
I like cheddar and sour cream ruffles
That’s why you are Shawn Hemp
Ask the Warriors. Certainly, no team knows better how it feels to win a championship only because the opponent played without 2 of their best players.
The level of butt hurt in this comment requires a subscription to Vaseline.
That line deserves t-shirt. Well done.
Your comment sucks.
Unfortunately, I would be very reluctant to believe anything a police office says especially when it involves a black man. I would go with what the witness said.
Exactly! They have zero credibility…..
You believe lies my man. It is such a false narrative that cops are racist
All cops are racist? No. But many police officers have been racist – you can see it on video – and to suggest that racist cops don’t exist is ridiculous.
Suffice to say, no one has any idea what happened. But we have a witness that challenges the police officer’s report, and we have Ujuri’s account that also disagrees.
I’ve never read one bad thing about Ujuri’s character, so I’m inclined to believe him. Perhaps the cop was merely confused? Perhaps not.
But don’t tell me that there aren’t racist cops. That’s just silly.
Never said there aren’t racist cops. But it’s not nearly as big a deal as the media makes it
Based on what? Your extensive research? Your deep knowledge of law enforcement? Your journalistic efforts?
I wholeheartedly agree that the media inflates all issues. But you can’t just categorically deny their reporting without some expertise of your own. That doesn’t make any kind of sense.
Nor can those who claim every cop is racist.
Idk one way or another on this specific instance, but to be like “oh it’s a cop, it’s probably racism” isn’t right either. You didn’t make the initial comment, but I see a lot of people saying that.
I personally am a white man and I hate dealing with any police, many of them are extremely power tripping at all times
Well they will lie too after the fact. Just one more reason not to give them a reason to.
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Were there no cameras pointed that direction? I bet evidence turns up– Probably of not much of a strike.
Sherrifs office really fluffing this up. Witnesses say the officer was aggressive and was not even struck. There is also a video of him holding his credentials.
Did the cop turn his body cam off? Right now it’s
he said/he said. A witness
says the cop is lying.
Wouldn’t surprise me…..
Cops in arenas don’t have body cams.
Why the heck not?
Good thing there were a bunch of the cameras and witnesses. Otherwise we night never know what happened.
I don’t know or pretend to know. Usually body cams are for cops that are on patrols.
Ujiri sounded emotional during the ceremony and it wasn’t tears of happiness. Can see why now.
Totally normal for a police officer to push back. Really strong de-escalation technique. Guess it’s good he didn’t draw a gun given the context.
So do they think that fans come out of the tunnel? Because typically fans are in the stands, not coming out of the tunnel like they’re part of the organization….
if the cop was really hit on his face he would have used force much greater. i can’t imagine the cop not hitting back and trying to arrest him.
Cops are professional liars. They even have a name for what they do in court. They call it “Testalying.” True.
how is this taken so seriously? the guy just watched HIS team win the championship. He wants to get on the court, and some dipstick guard says no. So he shoves past him. What part of this is so unreasonable to make such a big deal of it? Who would not want to push past any little resistance to get to the celebration you have worked your entire career for?
A guard felt a little sore from being shoved aside? Sounds like his pride was hurt most of all. It’s not like he got decked, just pushed aside for being an idiot.
Why does the president of the team that just won the NBA championship need to show his credentials in the first place? Should being the president be good enough? Lol! If the officer did not know who he was then he is just terrible at his job. Either way the officer deserved to be pushed aside.