There was a time, in the not-too-distant past, when Masai Ujiri would have been labelled a heretic, a lunatic or both.
In the moments after the Toronto Raptors advanced to the NBA Finals with Saturday’s Game 6 win, the franchise’s president, with a piece of confetti still resting on his right shoulder, sang the praises of Kawhi Leonard without hesitation or qualification.
“He’s been unbelievable,” Ujiri said of the all-star forward whose arrival last summer via trade vaulted the Raptors to new heights. “He’s the best player in the league, and we’re happy he’s in Toronto.