2023-06-11 16:14:00
It’s official: the Raptors have found their new technician for next season! Serbian Darko Rajakovic is empowered by an NBA franchise, following several years as an assistant and in the G League side. His mission ? Restore basketball on the Toronto side, with a workforce that might be significantly remodeled this summer.
Toronto was the only team in the league that had yet to find a match. Relieved of his duties almost immediately following the end of the Raptors season, Nick Nurse therefore took almost two months to be replaced. Rumors are also rife regarding the name of the next coach. Kenny Atkinson here, Sergio Scaciolo there… and in the end, neither. The jackpot goes to a neophyte of the post, who has so far only known roles more in the shadow of the spotlight.
The challenge of novelty? It can pay off, as for the Celtics with Joe Mazzulla this year. The difference : Rajakovic is European, and made his range in Belgrade before going through the Spanish N2. A pure guy from the old continent? Not that much. Darko quickly went to the United States, where he found a job as an assistant with the Spurs Summer League team, between 2004 and 2011. The adventure continued in 2014, with an assistant position in the NBA, the real , on the side of the Thunder. He will stay there for five years, before a season in Phoenix. Since 2020, he was an assistant to Taylor Jenkins in Memphis and helped implement the Grizzlies project around Ja Morant.
ESPN Sources: The Toronto Raptors are finalizing a deal to hire Memphis Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic as the franchise’s next coach. pic.twitter.com/AEPu64p2F2
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 10, 2023
His goal in Toronto? Bring back stability and above all serenity in a group that has only released inconstancy and hassle. The Dinos’ off-season promises to be very eventful, with rumors having swarmed around all the important players in the group. We will therefore have to succeed in leaving this summer with a reliable, complete and ready-to-work group.
Note that Rajakovic is the second European coach in NBA history. The first ? Vincent Collet Igor Kokoskov, who had wallowed remarkably in Phoenix and was fired following just one season on the bench. With a big tactical background, Darko Rajakovic seems to be the man for the job on paper, since he must precisely bring basketball and the joy of the game to Jurassic Park.
Source : Adrian Wojnarowski
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