Quotes from Masai Ujiri

Most young kids can't figure out how to shoot.

This is my hobby. Reaching out, getting to know other people's cultures, traveling to other people's countries.

When my mom travelled, she would bring me basketball tapes.

It doesn't all have to be about giving money. Sometimes it's a smile that changes the life of one little kid.

I memorized every line in Michael Jordan's 'Come Fly with Me.'

I couldn't shoot. When I went to play in Europe, I learned to shoot better. I could jump, so people would just back off of me.

When you get a chance to get a top five player, which doesn't come very often, you have to jump on it.

Basketball without Borders made me who I am and it's just something that is such a huge part of my life.

You want to win in the NBA you want to build a culture and teams will always do that and try to win. It's cutthroat. All 30 teams want to be that way whether they are rebuilding, have young players, have a style of play. It doesn't matter, everybody wants to win.

As you can probably tell, the push to develop talent in Africa is personal. I grew up there. I played there. I know how much talent there is. We have to concentrate on building facilities, establishing successful leagues and finding investors to help young players.

Giants of Africa holds such a special place in my heart. It's not just another non-profit organization - this is personal. What started as a dream to give back to the country that raised me has since blossomed into an intercontinental mission to uplift youth across the diaspora, and shed light on the greatest part of Africa: its people.

When you talk about goals, you look at your team last year and you want to move the meter a little bit. You don't want to go back and be the same team that you were last year, so we have tried to get better in some ways.

I was honestly more talented in soccer than in basketball. I don't think I'd have gone anywhere in soccer. But I think I was more talented in soccer.

The natural thing in Africa is to start playing soccer at 8 or 9. You go outside and you play like kids play basketball here, and you grow a feel for the game. In Africa, the kids start playing basketball at 16 or 17 or 18, and when they get an opportunity to come here, they have been playing for only one or two years.

Nelson Mandela saw the potential of Africa and dedicated his life to changing the world in which we live while inspiring a movement towards social justice, peace and equal human rights.

I don't really watch any TV. I'll glance at the TV sometimes if my wife's watching 'Empire' or 'Scandal.' I'll sit with her for an episode. But I don't have a TV show that I watch.

I represent a great continent. People ask, Is there pressure on me? I don't feel pressure at all. It's an unbelievable challenge for me, but I feel like I carry the weight of my continent on my shoulders. I want to help the next generation in Africa.

I'll always have a special place in my heart for the city of Denver and the Nuggets as an organization.

We play sports to win.

I value my staff and I believe in hiring people who are smarter than myself.

We will not be caught in no man's land.

Our job is to find out what's the next thing that is going to be advantageous to us and contribute to winning.

Honestly... I've never felt pressure working in basketball. There's no pressure at all. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

Nelson Mandela knew that sport has the power to inspire and unite people in a way that little else does.