Shortly after the final whistle that confirmed the Raptors’ first title on June 13, 2019, Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Strickland, who was acting as a security guard around the field, intercepted Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri who was attempting to join his players to celebrate. An altercation followed. In this article, we take a look at the events that occurred as well as a brief look into Alan Strickland’s history conviction for insurance fraud. 

Alan Strickland: Past Misdemeanor Of The Deputy 

Masai Ujiri spoke for the first time at the end of the proceedings:

On Feb 21st of this year, Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri spoke for the very first time following the end of the proceedings in which he was involved following an altercation with a police officer in the finals of the NBA in 2019.

The Toronto crewman answered host Robin Roberts’ questions during an exclusive TV interview aired on Good Morning America.

He said: “You can’t buy a championship at Walmart. It is something that you are trying very hard to win, said Masai Ujiri. You try to imagine, ‘How am I going to celebrate with my guys?’ And then you have this confrontation and it gets you confused”. 

What was the Alan Strickland vs Masai Ujiri lawsuit?

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri was able to celebrate the Raptors title with his players in the locker room, but his memory remains marred by his altercation with a police officer: Mr. Alan Strickland.

In a lawsuit filed a few months later, Strickland claimed that Masai Ujiri had been the aggressor and claimed to have been injured during the altercation. He claimed over US $75,000 in damages.

Later, the policeman’s intervention camera footage showed him pushing back Ujiri twice after the latter showed him his accreditation. Alan Strickland eventually withdrew his lawsuit and 

Masai Ujiri then reacted by way of a statement, but he had never spoken of it in person.

The policeman’s body camera showed him pushing Masai Ujiri off the edge of the Oracle Arena.

Later, the Raptors president confessed he was troubled by his altercation with the police officer. He lost sleep when the intervention camera footage was released.

“People say you hit a policeman, hit him in the jaw and all that stuff. You come to doubt. Over time, you start to wonder what really happened”, Ujiri said. Seeing the video you are avenged, you feel that yes your version was the correct one.

Masai Ujiri was finally able to celebrate the Raptors title with his players on the pitch and in the locker room, but he says his memory remains forever marred by his altercation with the policeman.

Alan Strickland past misdemeanor:

An Alameda County Sheriff’s deputy Alan Strickland made headlines with his high-profile June 2019 courtside run-in. But many don’t know that he was in fact arrested and convicted of insurance fraud years before! 

Prior to getting into an altercation with the team president after the Toronto Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals at Oracle Arena, Strickland ended up pleading no contest to misdemeanor insurance fraud on Dec. 7, 2005,

The revelations of committing insurance fraud made legal experts question the deputy’s integrity amidst widespread attention causing glaring distraction amid one of the Bay Area’s most high-profile recent moments in sports.

Eleven years ago, according to the court record of San Mateo County, Mr. Alan Francis Strickland was charged with felony insurance fraud and making false statements on March 31, 1994.

The misdemeanor and false statement charges were dropped in exchange for the no-contest plea, which has the same legal effect as pleading guilty. 

Also interesting was the fact that Alan Strickland was applying to be a San Mateo police officer in 2005 through which the fraud charge was discovered. He didn’t get the job.