Raptors reunited as a team to watch video of Masai Ujiri’s meeting with cop in NBA Finals 19

The Toronto Raptors reunited as a team on Tuesday to view new video footage showing team president Masai Ujiri’s altercation with a San Francisco area sheriff’s deputy in the moments following the victory. team in the NBA Finals last year.

The footage, which was included in a counter-action filed by Ujiri on Tuesday, shows MP Alan Strickland grabbing Ujiri, pushing him aside and telling him to ‘back off’ as Ujiri tries to get onto the court to celebrate Decisive Victory from Toronto to the Oracle Arena. It also shows that Ujiri “did not respond aggressively” towards Strickland, according to the Counterattack.

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said he spoke with Ujiri about the meeting and stressed that the entire Raptors franchise has been behind Ujiri from the start.

VanVleet said the altercation underlined why NBA players have been fighting for social justice since they were in Orlando, Florida.

“It’s heavy stuff,” VanVleet said Wednesday after the team’s 104-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. “Obviously we are all privileged, and Masai is quite privileged in his world, and you stop and think about how badly we got him because there are people who are going to be in the same situation as you walk. in the streets who have no money to fight the case, who do not have 20,000 people in the stands and who do not have the capacity to counterattack. How often do the cops do things like that without a camera, without arena footage? It’s a tough situation.

“It’s just crazy how things work. It’s unfortunate, and I think that’s why we’re all in this situation now and we are fighting for social justice and equality because you see to how ugly things can get quickly just by someone’s word or a bad cop or a bunch of bad cops – or the system is a little twisted, and it’s not designed for us. “

Raptors guard Norman Powell said Ujiri’s altercation with the MP “speaks to what’s going on right now.” He said he was happy that there were body camera images to corroborate Ujiri’s story.

“I’m glad we were able to come up with the actual result, and everyone can see what really happened,” said Powell after the Raptors win on Wednesday. “This is exactly what we are fighting for: justice be done for these cops who are taking the law in hand unnecessarily. We saw him as a team. We are very open and passionate about social justice.

“I’m just really glad the video came out, and everyone saw it, and Masai is able to clarify his name and what people were saying about him and the whole process. what we were fighting for. We will continue to fight for [get rid of] bad apples in the font. “

Strickland’s lawsuit, which was filed in February, alleged that Ujiri assaulted him and that as a result of the incident he “suffered injuries to his body, health, strength, activity and person, all of which have caused and continue to cause serious harm to the claimant. mental, emotional, psychological, physical and nervous pain and suffering. “

Ujiri’s counter-suit, which includes the Raptors, NBA, and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment as plaintiffs, says Strickland tampered with the meeting and attempted to portray Ujiri as “the original aggressor and an inherently violent individual. “. He calls Strickland’s account “a complete fabrication” which has been contradicted by video footage.

Raptors coach Nick Nurse, speaking ahead of Wednesday’s game, called the incident “disappointing” and said it had ruined what should have been a night of pure celebration for Ujiri.

“Well, I think in this particular case – well, not just this particular case, but in a lot of cases – people are making accusations, assuming, blaming a lot of people,” Nurse said. “I think in the world, especially on social media and stuff like that, there’s a lot of mean and categorical behavior towards people when they don’t really know the truth, and I find it all really disheartening and disappointing. be honest.”