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Police accuse Raptors' Masai Ujiri of striking deputy with 'two fists'

Sep 25, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri during a press conference at media day at the BioSteel Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

This saga will end some day, one can only hope.

According to Robyn Doolittle of The Globe and Mail, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri did inform the deputy involved in an alleged altercation after Game 6 of the NBA Finals that he is the team’s president, along with showing NBA identification.

The issue between the two appears to have stemmed from the deputy determining that Ujiri was holding the wrong credentials: a red badge, when the only people to be allowed on the court were supposed to present a purple badge with a gold arm band.

Contrary to initial reports, the police confirmed that the video under investigation is not a body cam from the deputy but instead footage from Oracle Arena. They still maintain, however, that Ujiri struck the officer “underneath his jaw on the left side of his face” with “two fists,” causing a concussion and jaw injury.

Multiple eye witnesses have denied that this is the true recollection of the event in question, confirming that there were only shoves exchanged from both sides and the deputy initiated before Ujiri reacted.

The Raptors have declined to comment to this point, while the deputy’s lawyer is still of the belief that suing the franchise remains in play. The investigation is set to be completed soon and reports filed with the District Attorney’s office thereafter.

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