The Toronto Raptors did not have a pick entering the 2013 NBA Draft. Nevertheless, it did not stop then-newly hired executive vice president and general manager Masai Ujiri from actively pursuing one particular player he had his eyes on: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
An old clip from the Raptors war room during the tense moments of the 2013 NBA Draft recently surfaced. It featured Ujiri and right-hand man Bobby Webster doing everything they could to try and pluck Antetokounmpo.
Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster, boy genius, in 2013. Desperately trying to trade up for Giannis Antetokounmpo in the draft.
They always believed. pic.twitter.com/A3ei2ns4te
— Kate BirdWatch (@KateBDoll) December 10, 2020
As seen in the clip, Ujiri and Webster were trying to figure out potential trade moves that could have allowed them to get a shot at landing a then-relatively unknown Antetokounmpo. He ended up being selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 15th overall pick, and now that we have the benefit of hindsight, there is no denying that it was an absolute steal.
For his part, Ujiri had a keen appreciation of Giannis Antetokounmpo's potential and he was desperate to try and bring him the Raptors. Oh, what could have been.
This just goes to show the type of foresight Ujiri possesses. He's had a few bumps along the way, but he's undeniably emerged as one of the top executives in the NBA. The way that he magnificently pulled the strings as the architect behind the Raptors' unforgettable 2019 title run only serves as a testament to this fact.
The Raptors have some very good players on their roster like Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, and Fred VanVleet. But at this point, it appears that Ujiri still remains the team's most prized asset right now.
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