Following a period of turmoil, the Dallas Mavericks have secured new leadership for their basketball operations.
The former NBA team of German basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki announced the hiring of Masai Ujiri as President and Alternate Governor. The 55-year-old will step into the role of «Architect» for the Mavs, taking over from the controversial Nico Harrison, who was dismissed in November 2025.
Ujiri will «lead all aspects of the Mavericks’ basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel, and scouting,» according to a statement. Team owner Patrick Dumont described him as «one of the great basketball executives of this generation, and his commitment to our franchise is a crucial step towards achieving our goals.»
Ujiri Led the Raptors to Their First NBA Title
Ujiri boasts a successful career as an NBA executive. In 2010, he became the first African-born General Manager in NBA history when he took the position with the Denver Nuggets. He was recognized as «Executive of the Year» in 2013 for his work. In 2019, he guided the Toronto Raptors to their franchise’s first NBA championship. He is also a co-owner of the new WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo.
At the Mavericks, Ujiri is tasked with fostering a winning mentality after two turbulent years, with a focus on rising star Cooper Flag. In November, the Texas-based franchise fired Harrison as General Manager. Just nine months prior, Harrison had traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that has been widely criticized as «the worst trade in NBA history.»
Ujiri’s mandate now is to build a competitive team around Flag and the currently injured veteran Kyrie Irving for the 2011 NBA champions. «It is an honor to join the Dallas Mavericks and take on this role at such a critical time for the franchise,» stated the new key figure in the announcement.
English Translation
Following tumultuous months, the Dallas Mavericks have found new sporting leadership.
The former NBA team of German basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki announced the signing of Masai Ujiri as President and Alternate Governor. The 55-year-old will step into the footsteps of the controversial figure Nico Harrison, who was dismissed in November 2025, as the «Architect» of the Mavs.
«Ujiri will lead all aspects of the Mavericks’ basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel, and scouting,» the statement read. «He is one of the great basketball executives of this generation, and his commitment to our franchise is a crucial step towards achieving our goals,» said team owner Patrick Dumont.
Ujiri Led the Raptors to Their First NBA Title
Ujiri has a successful career as an NBA official to date: in 2010, he became the first NBA General Manager of African origin, taking the post with the Denver Nuggets. He received the «Executive of the Year» award in 2013 for his work. In 2019, he led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title in franchise history. He is also a co-owner of the new women’s team, the Toronto Tempo, in the WNBA.
At the Mavericks, he is expected to build a winning mentality around a team centered on Super Rookie Cooper Flag, following two turbulent years. In November, the franchise from the US state of Texas had fired Harrison as General Manager. Nine months earlier, he had traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal discussed as the «worst trade in NBA history.»
Ujiri is now tasked with building a competitive team around Flag and the currently injured veteran Kyrie Irving for the 2011 NBA champions. «It is an honor to come to the Dallas Mavericks and take on this position at such an important time for the club,» said the new strongman in the statement.