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Raptors Name Ujiri Director Of Global ScoutingThe Toronto Raptors named Masai Ujiri of Nigeria their director of global scouting on Monday. The 36-year-old joins the Raptors after spending four seasons in the Denver Nuggets scouting department, including this past season as their director of international scouting. Prior to joining the Nuggets, he served as an international scout with the Orlando Magic in 2002-03. "Masai Ujiri is universally known in the NBA as a bright young basketball mind," Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo said in a release. "The Toronto Raptors will surely benefit from his wealth of experience and contacts." Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Denver Loses Head Scout To Sonics
Branch's 10-year tenure with the Nuggets, the past five seasons as assistant coach/director of scouting, will end Tuesday, and he will move on to be the Sonics' director of pro personnel. Branch is regarded as one of the NBA's top advance scouts and has 20 years experience working in the league. "I had a great 10 years here," Branch said in a phone interview Friday. "I enjoyed all the people from coaches I worked for. I worked for a lot of people here in my tenure and I learned a lot of different things. "Hopefully, it will help me down the road. I told (Nuggets) George (Karl) to be proud and happy for me and that the Sonics wanted me during your command. George treated me like a son." Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Denver's International Scout Accepts Job With RaptorsInternational scout Masai Ujiri has left the Nuggets to join the Raptors. Ujiri informed the Nuggets he has accepted a job as the director of global scouting for the Toronto Raptors with the likelihood of being promoted to assistant general manager in May 2008. The Nigerian was with the Nuggets for three seasons and last season was their director of international scouting. The Nuggets offered Ujiri a promotion to director of player personnel, and Golden State offered an assistant GM position. But he opted to join two-time GM of the year Bryan Colangelo in Toronto. Ujiri is considered one of the top international scouts and has helped more than 50 players from Africa receive basketball scholarships in the United States. "It was a tough, tough decision to make," Ujiri said Wednesday in a phone interview. "It's also a good opportunity to learn and grow. Maybe one day I'll come back to the Nuggets. The Nuggets will always be family to me. Mr. (Stan) Kroenke allowed me to grow, gave me everything I needed to do my job, and made me better. "I learned from the (ex-Nuggets GM) Kiki (Vandeweghe) regime and the current regime. And I'm going to learn from Bryan, because he's one of the best in the business." Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Nuggets Jul 2007 Archive
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The Nuggets' scouting staff took its second hard hit this week with the departure of director Bill Branch, who is going to the Seattle SuperSonics.