Masai Ujiri got a baptism by fire — he was named the Nuggets general manager and a few months later Carmelo Anthony was forcing his way out of town with a trade. It was a circus around the Nuggets.
But Ujiri stood calmly in the middle of that storm, patiently waiting to get a good deal (or waiting for James Dolan to cave, either way). He got it, and with that trade as the catalyst he rebuilt the Nuggets as one of the NBA’s best teams this season. A team without a traditional star as the anchor, but one that plays fast, is entertaining and won 57 games, a franchise record.
For all of that, Ujiri will be named the NBA’s executive of the year on Thursday, reports the Denver Post. Executives from the 30 NBA teams vote on this award.
It’s well deserved.
Ujiri is groundbreaking as the first African-born GM not only in the NBA but also in any major American sport.
Nuggets coach George Karl was named NBA Coach of the Year on Wednesday.
