TORONTO - Masai Ujiri remembers being a boy attending a basketball camp in his native northern Nigeria, and the excitement of being given an Hakeem Olajuwon T-shirt. Real Jordan Shoes Cheap .It was a small gesture with a big impact.My eyes were so wide, to get that T-shirt was unbelievable, Ujiri said.Ujiri speaks passionately about the power of sports to change lives. Hes seen it first-hand through his Giants of Africa camp and Basketball Without Borders, and is himself living proof as the president and general manager of the Toronto Raptors.Its a determination he shared with the late Nelson Mandela, who Ujiri and the Raptors will celebrate Friday in an all-star benefit.How many people in those kinds of positions ever have any kind of relations with sport in some ways other than being like a guest of honour or something? Ujiri said in a phone interview Thursday. But Nelson Mandela, with what he did with rugby, the way he supported sports, I thought it was so impactful because he said it best: sports has the power to impact people and society, and youth. And so I think its a great message for us, its not only a great game, but its a great day to spread that message around the world that we are blessed to have sports and we are blessed to participate in something fun like this.When South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Mandela famously donned the Springbok sweater, a gesture he hoped would help unite his racially-fragmented country.Friday marks the one-year anniversary since Mandelas death at the age of 95.Ujiri has assembled an all-star lineup for the event, including NBA legends Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Dikembe Mutombo, along with UN Goodwill Ambassador and 1999 Miss Universe winner Mpule Kwelagobe. Other guests include Raptors alumnus Tracy McGrady, Toronto Maple Leaf goaltender Jonathan Bernier and Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, former Toronto Argonauts star Michael (Pinball) Clemons, deputy commissioner of the NBA Mark Tatum and Amadou Fall, vice-president of NBA Africa. Funds raised will go to both the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Ujiris Giants of Africa.Ujiri founded Giants of Africa in 2003, both as a means to enrich the lives of children in Africa, and to shine a spotlight on the abundance of untapped talent there.He signed a deal with Nike to outfit the players. He sees himself in the kids he helps.You see these kids, their faces when you give them shoes and you give them gear, socks and shorts and jerseys and T-shirts, its remarkable how that affects them in some kind of way, and how they want to play the sport more, and even dedicate themselves more, Ujiri said. But its come to a point where I look at myself, and say: We have to look at it even beyond playing. I say How do we really use basketball as a tool? Because now sports has become so general, its important to expose Africa and kids to other aspects of sport.What about sports medicine, and sports journalism, and sports agencies, coaching, and all the different things that you can do in sports, he said. It doesnt have to be making the NBA or it doesnt have to be playing. You can figure out how you can use basketball as a tool and guidance to maybe do something very very reasonable and very very good for your life, and to grow.It doesnt necessarily have to be playing basketball. Im the prime example of that.The six-foot-four Ujiri played basketball in the U.S. at Bismarck State College, and then spent six years playing professionally in Europe. He virtually chiselled out a post-playing career for himself, working as an unpaid scout for the Orlando Magic. He paid his own way on trips at times, and bunked with other scouts and players.He went on to be an international scout for Denver and Toronto, then won NBA executive of the year in 2013 with Denver, where he was the first African-born GM of a major North American sports team. He returned to Toronto to be the teams president and GM in 2013.Ujiri said his summer trips to Africa are the times he looks forward to most. Going spending it in the grinds of not only travelling in Africa and seeing different cultures and different people, but seeing different communities and people, and what makes them tick and what makes them live, and how they live happy, and some of the struggles that they have. It puts life in perspective, Ujiri said. Its a huge part of who I am and what I want to do.Our concentration is sports and how we can build sports, and going into communities to help, whether its teaching basketball, whether its us figuring out charities or foundations that we can help, or us figuring out little courts that we can build, or give them a net, give a basketball team basketballs . . . those are the things we want to continue to build and grow over there. Thats the impact it has on me when I go back in the summer, he said.A big believer in never forgetting where youve come from, Ujiri said his experiences in Africa remain with him in his daily work back in Toronto with the Raptors.Honestly, it puts things in perspective, he said. We take things for granted a lot of times, and I would never forget to be humbled by the position that I am in, and the blessings that I have to be in this position, with such good people around me that give me that opportunity to go help other Africans, and other youth.I have to be a voice, and I have to make an impact on other people. If not, what Im doing here means really nothing.Fridays celebration will begin with a panel discussion. It will continue into Fridays Raptors game versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, with video tributes. The Raptors will wear special edition shooting shirts and management will don Giant of Africa lapel pins. The Giant of Africa T-shirts will be for sale, featuring Mandelas five pillars; being a leader, fighting for freedom, creating a better future, committing to the community and using sport to inspire change. Proceeds from sales go to Giants of Africa. Cheap Air Jordan Nz . - Jordan Addesis shootout goal helped the Plymouth Whalers to a 3-2 win over the Sault Ste. Air Jordan Nz Online . Both moves were announced Tuesday. The Titans had waived Matthews on Saturday when they promoted wide receiver Michael Preston from the practice squad. http://www.airjordannz.com/ . The light-heavyweight champion and number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world is on an 11-fight UFC winning streak, the longest in the history of the weight class.Andy Murray will be looking to extend his winning run to 22 matches and book his place in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals when he faces Stan Wawrinka on Friday. Murray has won both of his contests in the John McEnroe Group, beating Marin Cilic in straight sets and then Kei Nishikori in a three-set epic.But he could still be eliminated if he loses to Wawrinka in straight sets and Nishikori beats Cilic in the groups other match in the evening on Friday. Murray leads the head-to-head 9-7 against the Swiss, and has his sights set on a perfect final against Novak Djokovic that would decide the year-end No 1 ranking. Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals November 18, 2016, 12:00pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Murray talked to Mark Petchey at the SkyPad after his victory over Nishikori I think for the tournament and stuff, for everyone interested in tennis, that would probably be the perfect way to finish the year, he said.For me, and Im sure for Novak, both of our goals would be to try to win the event. For him, whether thats by beating me, someone else, or, for me, if its winning against Novak or another player, it doesnt change for us as players.Murray was pushed to the limit by Nishikori in the longest three-set match in ATP World Tour Finals history, which lasted three hours and 20 minutes. John McEnroe Group W-L Sets Games Andy Murray 2-0 4-1 30-20 Kei Nishikori 1-1 3-2 27-23 Stan Wawrinka 1-1 2-2 19-24 Marin Cilic 0-2 0-4 17-26 He acknowledged afterwards that he was a bit tired, but added: You tend to feel it more the following day, in terms of stiffness and soreness in the body. Air Jordan Nz. . I was in the ice bath after the match. That obviously helps make you feel a bit better. But 10-12 hours afterwards the body starts to stiffen up. Its positive I get a days rest.After losing his first match, Wawrinka kept his hopes of progressing alive with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3) victory over Cilic on Wednesday. Murray is one win from matching his career-best 22-match undefeated run from earlier this season, during which he won Queens, Wimbledon and Olympic gold All I know is if I want to have a chance to qualify, I need to win, he said afterwards. Thats all Im trying to do. Im going to try to play my best tennis, to beat the World No. 1. Its going to be a tough match.We played many times against each other. Hes playing his best tennis so far. Its going to be interesting. Im happy to play here in front of his home crowd. Im sure its going to be a great atmosphere.The only meeting between Murray and Wawrinka in 2016 was in the semi-finals of the French Open, with the world No 1 coming through in four sets. Watch highlights of Murrays win over Nishikori However, Wawrinka won their round-robin clash at the O2 last year 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.In the doubles match, Henri Kontinen and John Peers will be looking to make it three wins from three when they face world No 1 duo Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.Hugues and Mahut are already eliminated after two defeats and could slip from the top of the rankings if Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares reach the final.Kontinen and Peers are already assured of a semi-final place, having won both their matches in straight sets.Watch the ATP World Tour Finals on Friday from midday on Sky Sports 1 HD or follow on www.skysports.com. 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