Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri Sued by Sheriff’s Deputy Over Game 6 Incident

Nearly one year after the Toronto Raptors won their first-ever NBA Championship, the team’s president has been slapped with a lawsuit over an altercation with a sheriff’s deputy.

Back in 2019, the Raptors managed to win their first title ever in the Oracle Arena after six games. Though the historical moment was one for the books, the night may have been unforgettable for a different reason for Raptors President Masai Ujiri.

If you recall, after the team won, chaos seemingly ensued as California Sheriff’s deputy, Alan Strickland, attempted to check the president’s security credentials.

The incident was reported as an attack on an officer, with the Alameda County Sheriff’s office saying he was reportedly “pushed and struck in the face by a man believed to be a Toronto Raptors executive.” In fact, at the time, the sheriff’s office even recommended a charge of misdemeanor battery against an officer. But after further investigation and a meeting with the D.A., the Alameda District Attorney’s office declined to pursue charges.

But now, just four months after the D.A.’s decision, Strickland has filed a lawsuit, in an attempt to make Ujiri pay for the alleged damage he caused.

In the suit, Strickland said Ujiri “hit him in the face and chest with both fists,” shoving Strickland “backwards several feet.” As a result, he said he “suffered, and will continue to suffer, physical, mental, emotional and economic injuries, including, but not limited to, lost wages, lost opportunity for financial gain, future earning capacity and past and future medical care and expenses.”