Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri was fined $35,000 for using obscene language in a public setting Saturday prior to his team’s playoff game against the Washington Wizards, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced on Sunday.
Ujiri uttered an expletive in an effort to energize thousands of Raptors’ fans at a pep rally outside the Air Canada Centre, in an area known otherwise as Jurassic Park. Earlier this week, Wizards forward Paul Pierce rankled Raptors’ fans by telling ESPN that Toronto did not possess “the It factor,” that could instill fear into his team heading into the series.
“People want me to say something about Paul Pierce but, we don’t give a (expletive) about ‘it’,” Ujiri told the crowd.
Last year, Ujiri was fined $25,000 from the NBA for using an expletive in public before the start of the Raptors’ first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets.
“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 in a statement.
“I apologize and have acknowledged the fine with the Commissioner. I consider the matter closed and our sole focus is on the playoffs.”
In addition, the Toronto Raptors organization was fined $25,000 by the NBA.
Pierce finished with a game-high 20 points in the Wizards’ 93-86 Game 1 overtime win.