‘Iolani alum Webster gets promoted to Raptors’ GM

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri turned to his right and smiled before yielding the microphone to the youngest general manager in the NBA.

“Today is all about Bobby Webster,” Ujiri told assembled media in Toronto. “He deserves it. … So, congratulations, the boy from Hawaii.”

Webster, 32, a Kailua native who graduated from ‘Iolani in 2002, developed a behind-the-scenes reputation as a salary cap guru who knew all the ins and outs of the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. He was named GM of the Raptors on Wednesday morning.

“I know I’m young. I’m probably even younger looking,” Webster said at his introductory press conference. “But I think I have a unique set of experiences and circumstances that have gotten me here. So, I’ll continue to grow. You’re never a finished product.”

He replaced Jeff Weltman, who departed the league’s lone Canadian team in May to become president of the Orlando Magic.

Webster joined the Raptors in 2013 as vice president of basketball management and strategy and became an assistant GM in 2016. Prior to joining Toronto, he worked in the NBA league office in New York for seven years. His first gig was with the Magic soon after graduating from UC Santa Barbara.

“I was super ecstatic, but not surprised he rose to that level,” said Mark Mugiishi, who coached Webster for three years on the ‘Iolani varsity. “He’s always been somebody who got just incredibly big stuff done. … It’s great for him, it’s great for our state. I think it’s great for the game of basketball.”

The retired coach described the 6-foot-1 shooting guard as a cerebral player who cared more about positive outcomes than personal glory.

In the 2002 state title game, Webster scored nine points and led all players with four assists — complementing 33 points from Derrick Low and 10 from Bobby Nash — in a 58-57 win over Kalaheo that began a run of five state championships for the Raiders.

Webster possessed a rare combination of IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence), Mugiishi said.

“Besides being a super smart kid and knowing the answer to everything, he had a way with people; he was always the most well liked, people wanted to be around him. Whatever initiative he wanted to get done, he’d get everybody bought in and doing it. So, when you put those qualities together you think they’re going to be really successful. And I think for a GM, it’s a perfect combination.”

Webster would talk back then about wanting to be part of a large organization, wanting to bring about positive changes in team play.

At Wednesday’s presser, he said, “I think anyone who gets into this (front office) business wants to be either a GM or a coach.”

A big break for Webster came in 2011, when he worked for the NBA league office during a 161-day player lockout. He became an expert in collective bargaining and contracts, an area that set him apart from many of his peers.

“It’s a long time coming,” Ujiri, formerly a Toronto GM, said. “Bobby came here with me four years ago and has really, really served, grown and been a huge part of this organization. And I’m really, really proud.”

It’s now largely on Webster to decide how to handle point guard Kyle Lowry, an All-Star who opted out of his contract, as well as free agents Serge Ibaka, Patrick Patterson and others. Toronto has made the playoffs four straight years and has posted consecutive 50-win seasons.

Webster fielded questions from the media with a quiet, understated demeanor.

In regard to what changes for him in his new role, he replied: “The obvious answer is my voice is a little louder, but from the start Masai’s always been really collaborative, and we’ve all been involved in all of the big decisions. … Free agency, draft, trades, we’ve all been a part of it, so I don’t know that there’s a ton of difference.”

Mugiishi said Webster recently got married to his wife from New York, and that Webster still makes annual trips back to the islands to catch up with old friends. That could continue in the near future; the Raptors already were scheduled to play the Los Angeles Clippers in two preseason exhibitions at the Stan Sheriff Center on Oct. 1 and 3.

“Now when he goes he’ll have to wear shades or whatever to hide,” Mugiishi said.