Masai Ujiri's legal team dismisses 'baseless' claims against him after new bodycam footage

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri was earlier sued after being involved in an altercation with Sheriff's Deputy Alan Strickland. During the incident after Game 6 of NBA Finals 2019, Strickland, who was the security guard, didn't allow Ujiri to pass and enter the court to celebrate despite Ujiri trying to show his credentials. After the incident, Strickland ended up suing Ujiri, the Raptors and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), the company that owns the team. 

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Raptors president Masai Ujiri's legal team unveil new evidence of incident after Warriors vs Raptors 2019 Game 6

On Tuesday, Ujiri's new bodycam footage was released which showed the incident from deputy Strickland's perspective. The video showed Strickland instigating the altercation, which doesn't line up with the lawsuit filed by the guard. The deputy pushed Ujiri first and did so one more time when Ujiri started to explain himself. The video ends after Ujiri makes contact with Strickland. The Raptors released a statement that accompanied the video, saying that it proves Ujiri's innocence in the matter. 

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"We are mindful this remains before the courts, but we have always maintained that the claims made against Masai are baseless and entirely without merit," the statement read. Ujiri's legal team added that the Raptors president was "not an aggressor" and was actually the "recipient of two very violent, unwarranted actions". They spoke about the Raptors winning the NBA Finals 2019, where the incident "cast a pall over what should have been a night of celebration". The team even acknowledged that while Ujiri is backed by MLSE and the Raptors in his fight against injustice, others do not have access to similar resources. However, they maintained that "this a spurious legal action that MLSE, the NBA, and especially Masai should not be facing."

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Strickland's lawsuit against Raptors president Masai Ujiri

Strickland's lawsuit accuses Ujiiri of inflicting injuries to his head, jaw, chin and teeth. However, the bodycam footage shows that Strickland himself was the aggressor. His lawsuit further stated that the deputy has “suffered, and will continue to suffer, physical, mental, emotional, and economic injuries, including, but not limited to, lost wages, lost opportunity for financial gain, future earning capacity, and past and future medical care and expenses.” While no charges were ever filed against Ujiri, the entire incident affected Ujiri's celebrations after the Raptors' first-ever NBA championship. In the video, Strickland cusses at Ujiri and tells him to back up. Ujiri questions back, asking why he was pushed, stating that he is the president of the Raptors. 

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(Image credits: AP)