Sports

Ujiri, Raptors fined US$60,000 for general manager’s “obscene language”

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Dentte
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Dentte

TORONTO _ Masai Ujiri’s colourful language has cost him again.

The Raptors general manager has been fined US$35,000 for “using obscene language in a public setting” at a fan rally Saturday before Toronto hosted Washington in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoff series.

The Raptors organization has been fined an additional US$25,000.

Ujiri used an expletive when addressing fans prior to Saturday’s tipoff against Washington.

“People want me to say something about Paul Pierce but, we don’t give a (expletive) about ‘it’,” Ujiri told a cheering crowd outside the Air Canada Centre in an area dubbed Jurassic Park.

Ujiri was referring to the Wizards veteran who earlier this week told ESPN he wasn’t concerned about the Raptors because “I don’t feel they have the ‘it’ that makes you worried.”

Ujiri later apologized Sunday night for the remarks.

“I have the deepest respect for commissioner Silver and the NBA, and while showing passion for our team and fans I will choose my words more carefully in the future so as not to indicate otherwise,” Ujiri said.

“I apologize and have acknowledged the fine with the commissioner. I consider the matter closed and our sole focus is on the playoffs.”

The incident comes a year after Ujiri was fined US$25,000 by the NBA for ending a speech by pairing an f-bomb with Brooklyn prior to the club’s post-season opening game against the Nets.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was at Saturday’s game in Toronto, which the Wizards won 93-86 in overtime.

Raptors global ambassador Drake commented on the fine over his verified Instagram account ‘champagnepapi’. The caption, below a picture of Ujiri speaking, reads “We’ll take the fine for that. That’s been where you find us at.”

The quote references a song off of Drake‘s latest album If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late called Know Yourself.

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