Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to a championship in 2019.
Kawhi Leonard, Masai Ujiri Announcement Made on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Masai Ujiri’s unexpected departure from the Toronto Raptors front office came as a surprise to many around the league. Over his tenure, Ujiri cemented his reputation as one of the NBA’s top executives, highlighted by orchestrating one of the boldest moves in franchise history — acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs in 2018.
That gamble paid off immediately. Leonard went on to lead the Raptors to their first-ever NBA championship in 2019, delivering unforgettable playoff moments and earning lasting admiration from Toronto fans despite spending just one season with the team. Both Ujiri and Leonard have remained iconic figures within the fanbase ever since, with many Raptors faithfuls wondering what could have been had Leonard spent more time with the franchise.
Amid Ujiri’s recent departure, it was announced on Tuesday that Leonard will make an appearance at the former Raptors GM's Giants of Africa Festival. The news was confirmed by Leonard's Instagram page, and Vivek Jacob reported the following on X:
“Kawhi Leonard will mentor campers, open a new 🏀 court in partnership with Giants of Africa at St. Ignatius School, and host a clinic for 50 local youth in one of Kigali’s most underserved districts.”
Kawhi Leonard will make an appearance at Masai Ujiri's Giants of Africa Festival.
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) July 15, 2025
Leonard will mentor campers, open a new 🏀 court in partnership with Giants of Africa at St. Ignatius School, and host a clinic for 50 local youth in one of Kigali’s most underserved districts.
The news is yet another sign that Leonard and Ujiri have maintained a strong bond well beyond their championship run in Toronto — even after Leonard’s move to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019.
With Leonard now entering his seventh year in Los Angeles, he’ll hope to lead another franchise to its first championship. As for Ujiri, it remains to be seen if he’d return to the NBA next season and which teams would be willing to acquire his services.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
