Toronto Raptors

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri is speaking for the first time about an altercation where he allegedly shoved a cop after Game 6 of the NBA Finals ... saying, "I respect authority."

Ujiri is accused of pushing an officer both in the chest AND the face after the cop stopped him from stepping on the court to celebrate Toronto's championship win earlier this month.

Ujiri didn't want to get into specifics of the investigation during his press conference Tuesday ... but said, "My lawyers are updating me ... With that incident, I'm just going to respect what the process is there and the investigation."

"I am confident about who I am as a person, my character and as a human being."

Ujiri added, "I honestly am going to leave all my comments until the whole investigation is done. I think that's the fair way and the right way to operate when things like this do happen."

"I respect authority and I'll wait until that happens."

As we previously reported, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office says it's pursuing a criminal misdemeanor battery charge against Ujiri for the altercation.

As for the officer ... his attorney tells TMZ Sports the man suffered a concussion and a serious jaw injury -- and, as of last week, had yet to return to work.

Add DeMar DeRozan to the list of athletes against visiting Donald Trump ... 'cause the NBA superstar says even if he was still on the Raptors, he wouldn't celebrate their title at the White House.

Raps coach Nick Nurse said last week the team is setting up a trip to be honored by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ... but said they're undecided on going to 1600 Penn.

However, over the weekend Raptors star Danny Green told Yahoo Sports he's a "hard no" on visiting Trump.

Despite playing for the Spurs now, DeRozan is on board if the team decides not to go ... telling TMZ Sports -- "Sh*t, I wouldn't go, either!"

DeRozan joins a growing group of athletes who have spoken out against visiting Trump -- the Golden State Warriors, LeBron James, Red Sox manager Alex Cora and players like Mookie Betts, David Price and Jackie Bradley Jr. have all been vocal about not going -- just to name a few.

You think Drake was happy when the Toronto Raptors won the NBA title?

His dad was even HAPPIER -- because Dennis Graham had $100,000 riding on the Raps ... AND WON!!!

"I am the happiest guy in the world," Dennis told us in Hollywood with 2 ladies on his arms.

"I bet $100,000 on the game and I won $300,000!!!"

You see this? Drake's dad is RICH!!! (Okay, *more rich). PIMP HATS AND CHAINS FOR EVERYBODY!!!

There's more ... Dennis also has some advice for the Raptors when it comes to visiting Donald Trump -- DON'T. He thinks the team should meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instead.

"Justin Trudeau is a much classier guy than that IDIOT Donald Trump," Dennis says.

Oh, and Dennis also explains why he wasn't at the Raptors victory parade in Toronto -- telling us he's got big things in the works in Hollywood that took priority.

10:20 AM PT -- Trump -- who was meeting with Trudeau -- was just asked if he's planning on inviting the Raps to 1600 Penn ... and he said, "That's an interesting question. They played phenomenal basketball, I watched a little bit of it."

"We'll think about that, if they'd like to do it, we'll think about that."

So ... maybe???

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse says he's DEFINITELY looking forward to celebrating their NBA championship with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ... but Donald Trump? That's TBD.

It's uncharted territory for Canada's NBA team, considering this is their first title in franchise history ... so, many have been wondering if the Dinos would get an invite to party at the White House.

Nurse addressed the possibility with Prime Time Sports on SportsNet 590 ... saying the team hasn't gotten a call from Trump's camp yet ... and even if they DO get an invite, he's unsure how they'll RSVP.

But, as for meeting the top guy in Canada? Nurse says plans are already in the works ...

"Definitely the Trudeau meeting, because they have been asking me about scheduling it," Nurse said. "I've heard nothing from the White House. We're Canada's team anyway, right?"

Politics aside, Nurse says he truly doesn't know if there will be a trip to 1600 Penn, "I think we're here. Let's go see Trudeau up in Ottawa ... we're Canada's team."

Remember, the Golden State Warriors -- who won the NBA title the past two years before the Raptors -- famously boycotted Trump's White House ... opting to visit with President Obama instead.

Toronto Raptors guard Danny Green might piss off a couple different groups with what he just said to our cameras and it all has to do with Kawhi Leonard and their two shared NBA titles.

First off, he said definitively that Kawhi is the best player in the NBA, so all the LeBron, Durant, Giannis, and Harden fans are BIG MAD right now.

Secondly, our guy asked Danny in NYC which NBA title felt better -- his 2014 run with the San Antonio Spurs (Kawhi was there for that one too) or the one he just scored with the Toronto Raptors.

"This one, 2019 for sure."

Now, if you're in San Antonio, you're prolly HUGE MAD right now, because Danny just said the ring he won with you guys is like Robin, Garfunkel, Oates, and Watson ... famously second fiddle.

Adam Silver is vouching for Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri -- saying the guy is a good dude ... but the NBA commish tells TMZ Sports he's still investigating Ujiri like he would anyone else.

Of course, Ujiri is facing some stiff allegations after shoving a cop after Game 6 of the NBA Finals ... with the officer's attorney saying his client suffered a concussion and a jaw injury in the altercation.

In fact, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office says it's pursuing a criminal misdemeanor battery charge against Ujiri ... saying it's set to meet with prosecutors this week.

When we got Silver out in NYC on Tuesday ... he told us he's known Ujiri for years -- but has still launched a full investigation into the allegations nonetheless.

"I've known Masai Ujiri for a long time," Silver says ... "I know he's a very decent person. But, at the same time, we of course respect law enforcement that does a great job protecting our fans in the arena."

"So, there's been an allegation here, so it's our job to look into the facts and make sure that everything's handled appropriately."

The cop who was shoved by Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri during a fight after Game 6 of the NBA Finals is blasting racism claims ... with his attorney telling TMZ Sports, "The injured officer's family is African American."

After it was revealed Ujiri and a white cop got into a pushing altercation last Thursday after the Raptors beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena ... some had suggested the incident was rooted in racism.

But, the cop's attorney, David Mastagni, says that's just not the case at all, telling us, "Insult to this injury is invoking race because the injured officer's family is African American."

"This case is credential vs. no credential. The issue is not race."

As we previously reported, Mastagni says his client -- who has yet to be publicly identified -- suffered both a "serious concussion" and a significant jaw injury after Ujiri shoved him.

Mastagni says the cop has NOT been able to return to work since the altercation, which Mastagni says was an "unprovoked" attack.

Mastagni also says they are still considering a lawsuit against the Raptors president.

Ujiri is also facing a criminal investigation ... with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office saying it will meet with prosecutors later this week to pursue a misdemeanor battery charge.

The cop who says he was attacked by Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri after Game 6 of the NBA Finals now claims he suffered a concussion during the incident ... and he's threatening to sue.

"He has a serious concussion; a templar mandibular joint injury, which is a serious jaw injury,” the officer's attorney David Mastagni told KPIX 5.

The incident went down Thursday in the moments after the Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena in Oakland ... the cop says Ujiri got violent over a dispute over credentials.

Alameda County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ray Kelly said the officer claims Ujiri struck him in the chest and head. Ujiri is being investigated for misdemeanor battery.

"It’s an unprovoked significant hit to the jaw of the law enforcement officer," Mastagni said.

Officials have told TMZ Sports they are hunting for more video of the incident -- so far, the only footage that's surfaced publicly shows the direct aftermath ... NOT the alleged blow to the face.

The officer -- whose identity has not been made public -- has not filed a lawsuit yet ... but it seems it's only a matter of time at this point.

"All options are on the table. No options are off the table," Mastagni said ... adding, "No options are being ruled out as to how to rectify the situation."

Here is the moment several Toronto Police officers chased down, tackled and apprehended one of the suspected shooters at Monday's Toronto Raptors championship parade ... and it's intense.

The footage starts showing a man dressed in black trying to run -- but two bike cops grab the dude -- who appears to be holding a weapon ... and wrestle him to the ground.

Several cops in the area quickly realize what's going on and jump in on the action -- piling on top of the suspect while trying to neutralize the weapon.

At one point, one of the officers begins reigning down punches on the suspect.

You can hear some of the cops trying to clear the area -- screaming at people to "Get outta here!!!"

There's more footage that has surfaced from earlier in the parade -- in which you can clearly hear at least 4 gunshots pop off near crowds of people.

It's terrifying stuff.

Eventually, cops say 4 people suffered injuries in the shooting -- but all are expected to survive. 3 people have been arrested and 2 weapons have been recovered.

As for the Raptors, team announcer man Matt Devlin was credited with calming the crowd down after the gunshots were fired, telling the audience, "Please, stay calm."

For his part, Drake grabbed the microphone and told everyone in attendance to hug one another -- preaching love and unity.

4:00 PM PT -- Cops now say there were 4 people who suffered gunshot wounds in the parade shooting.

They also say they've now arrested 3 people.

1:24 PM PT -- Police say they have arrested 2 suspects and recovered 2 guns after an alleged shooting at the Toronto Raptors championship parade Monday.

Cops also say two people are being treated for "serious" injuries -- but the injuries are not life-threatening. The investigation is ongoing.

The championship parade continued after the shooting -- with Drake taking the stage and telling the reported 1.5 MILLION people in the streets to hug each other and spread love.

The parade ended with no further violent incidents.

Scary moment at the Toronto Raptors championship parade in Canada ... where gunshots were reportedly fired in the crowd and cops are now responding.

The party came to a screeching halt just before 1 PM PT -- when people in the crowd heard what sounded like 4 gunshots.

A woman was reportedly hurt and paramedics raced to the scene.

The Toronto Police Operations Centre put out a statement saying, "SHOOTING: Nathan Phillip's Square -Reports of woman shot -People running from area."

You can see people fleeing on video. At one point, Raptors play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin grabbed the mic and told the crowd to stay strong and stay calm while officials respond to the "emergency."

People at the scene are being advised to "get down" or to find somewhere safe.

12:11 PM PT -- Drake did his best Rob Gronkowski impression at the Raptors' parade -- catching a full beer that a fan threw his way ... and chugging the hell out of it!!!

Drizzy has been raging on Kawhi Leonard's double-decker parade bus all morning long ... and when someone tossed a brew his way -- he went full Stone Cold Steve Austin on it!!!

He cracked it open ... poured it down the hatch -- and appeared to dab afterward!!

The parade is going on hour No. 5 ... but there's a chance we haven't seen the best from Drake yet -- he's supposed to address the crowd once the parade reaches the end.

... getchya popcorn ready!!

Sorry, Kawhi Leonard, it might be the Raptors' championship parade day ... but all eyes will be on Drake ... 'cause everyone wants to know -- how crazy will Drizzy get!?!

Toronto shockingly upset the Warriors in six games last week ... and the Canadian city is throwing a party to celebrate -- and we'll be live streaming the whole thing.

Kawhi, Kyle Lowry and Nick Nurse will all be there ... but the man we all wanna see is the 6 God -- 'cause he's been front and center of everything during this Raptors' run.

Will there be more Golden State trash talk? Some more coaching shoulder rubs? Maybe even another new rap song?!?

Drake was where he's always been lately ... smack in the middle of all things Raptors.

Canada's NBA champs celebrated Friday into Saturday AM in a big way at the Wynn in Vegas.

Drake walked in cradling the trophy and then took the mic to ferociously pay homage to his team, all the while clutching a bottle of Dom.

The team, along with Champagne Papi, all wore championship hats.

Security swarmed the entire celebration, but at Encore Beach Club during the day, the only normies who were allowed in were women in bikinis.

The nighttime celebration went down at XS Nightclub at the Wynn hotel, where Drake has his residency.

As you know, the Raptors closed the book on the series in Game 6, beating the Warriors by a score of 114 to 110. Drake wasn't at the game, because it went down in enemy territory, plus there were security issues.

BTW ... Drake dropped 2 songs Friday night, but neither reference the Raptors or the NBA championship, but the cover art displays the championship trophy.

Congrats Canada!!!

The NBA reached out to Drake and asked him not to travel to Oakland for any of the NBA Finals games at Oracle Arena due to "security concerns," multiple sources tell TMZ Sports.

We're told the league expressed concern about potentially angry Warriors fans doing something stupid like taunting Drake or throwing stuff at him ... which wouldn't just put Drake at risk, but also other people sitting near him.

In the end, they all agreed it was best for Drake to stay in Toronto for the away games -- with Drake ultimately leading the Raptor fan watch party at Jurassic Park during Game 6.

Drake's dad Dennis Graham provided more of an explanation about the "security issues" when we saw him out at Delilah in L.A. after the Raptors won the championship ... suggesting some Warriors fans might've been holding a grudge for all of Drake's sideline antics during the Finals.

"When people see you in Toronto and you're making sideline things like that you have to be careful," Dennis said ... "With the rowdy fans, you can't take chances."

Don't feel too bad for Drake -- he had a BLAST in Toronto ... and then FaceTimed with Steph Curry after the game.

As for Dennis, he also told us why he thinks the Raps should NOT visit Donald Trump at the White House and opt to hang with the Prime Minister of Canada instead.

Lakers star Josh Hart had one response when we asked him if the Raptors championship was tainted by the fact that the Warriors has SO many injuries during the NBA Finals.

"F*CK NO."

We really could end the post right there but then we wouldn't be able to remind you that the Warriors lost both Kevin Durant AND Klay Thompson during the Finals, but that Hart doesn't seem to care.

That's not all he said when we got him leaving Deliah either ... he gave a heartfelt shout out to his friend and hometown hero Kyle Lowry, who just got his first championship ring up in the 6.

If you're wondering, we asked Hart approximately 1 million Lakers related questions, mainly about the Anthony Davis related trade rumors, and he punted like Brad Wing on all of them.

10:48 AM PT -- The Raptors have released a statement to TMZ Sports saying, “The incident is being looked at, and we are cooperating with authorities. We look forward to resolving the situation."

8:44 AM PT -- A spokesperson for the Alameda County Sheriff's Dept. tells us they WILL be pursuing a misdemeanor criminal charge against Ujiri for the alleged incident.

Sgt. Ray Kelly tells us, "[Ujiri] shoved our deputy and tried to walk past him." That's when Sgt. Kelly says the deputy "pushed [Ujiri] away from the court."

Sgt. Kelly says Ujiri came back with a "second more significant push" with a part of his arm striking the deputy in the face.

Sgt. Kelly says the department believes Ujiri committed misdemeanor battery on a law enforcement officer.

He also says investigators are gathering more footage -- including surveillance video -- while building their case against Ujiri.

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri allegedly shoved and struck a sheriff's deputy in the moments after his team won the NBA title Thursday night ... and part of the incident was caught on video.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is looking into an alleged misdemeanor battery -- after officials say Ujiri got furious when he was denied access to the court to celebrate after the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

The end of the altercation was captured on video by NBC Bay Area.

Officials say the officer is claiming Ujiri didn't have the proper credentials on him at the time.

Officials say Ujiri pushed the deputy and struck him in the face.

Ujiri was NOT arrested on the spot -- and he was able to get on the court and give a speech (which was televised) after NBA Commish Adam Silver presented the team with the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

"We are working with the Oakland Police Department to file a report and contact witnesses and review video," Sgt. Ray Kelly with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office said.

The Toronto Raptors didn't just murder the Warriors -- they killed HUNDREDS of bottles of champagne in the locker room ... and the footage is insane!!

Check out Raptors players Norman Powell, Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam and more just blowing through bottles of bubble while taking turns holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

At one point, you can see what appears to be hundreds of empty bottles strewn all over the locker room floor ... it's like hundreds of dollars in recycling money if anyone turns those in!!

After they left the locker room and got on the team bus, the players turned all the way up to Meek Mill's championship hit, "Dreams and Nightmares" ... the same song the Philadelphia Eagles rocked too when they won the Super Bowl a few years ago.

At the hotel, the dancing continued ... only there, the champagne spraying stopped and the guys switched to sipping red wine.

Next up for the Raptors is the championship parade through Toronto which is set to go down on Monday.