Subscribe
Follow Us
Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri had some strong words for what President Donald Trump said recently about African countries.
Trump on Thursday reportedly said the US should stop giving protections to people from “s—hole countries.” The comments were made during a meeting on immigration with leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties, and were reported by the Washington Post.
On Friday, backlash came from every which way, but the first response from anyone associated with the NBA apparently came from Ujiri, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Article Continues Below
“… Just because someone lives in a hut, that doesn't mean that isn't a good person, that that person can't do better, that person isn't capable of being great. And just because it's a hut — whatever that means — doesn't mean it's not a home. God doesn't put anyone someplace permanently. I am a living testimony to that. If I grew up in a shithole, I am proud of my shithole.”
Ujiri was born in Africa, which makes his comments all the more powerful and relevant. He spoke of his time visiting countries other the summer and totally denounced Trump's comments.
“This summer, I went to Kigali and Nairobi and Lagos, and I went to Kampala and Abidjan and Dakar and Johannesburg, and I saw great cities and great people,” Ujiri told ESPN on Friday. “And I went to visit the refugee camp in Dadaab, and I met good people and good families with plenty of hope. If those places are being referred to as shitholes, go visit those places, and go meet those people.”
Trump's comments were awful, and NBA fans should expect more top figures in the league speak out against them.
