In an exclusive interview for Basketball Sphere, the Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic talked about how the interview process went, his career path, how Monty Williams used Aleksandar Djordjevic’s actions from Serbian national team, and he also touched on his relationship with Zeljko Obradovic.
If someone had said 10 or 20 years ago that a person from Cacak (town in Serbia) would become a head coach in the NBA in the future, everyone would have thought of one name. The one with the most trophies, the one that owns nine EuroLeague titles.
They would be wrong.
Because in the meantime, Darko Rajakovic, a younger colleague and compatriot of Zeljko Obradovic, the greatest coach of the Old Continent, was paving his way to the NBA head coach position.
The first assumption, as well as the denial that followed, say two things. They talk about the widely known reputation of Cacak, as the only example of a true basketball environment. They talk about the fact that Serbia also has a coaching basketball heritage.
Rajakovic has been coaching since he was 16. His development path began in Borac Cacak younger categories, through Red Star juniors, to the Spanish lower league Torrelodones.
In the meantime, Rajakovic connected with the San Antonio Spurs and Sam Presti, which was crucial for him to enter the NBA through the G League.
Step by step, after an exhaustive process, in which his “rivals” were some of the biggest names in world and European basketball, he was appointed as the Toronto Raptors head coach.
“One of the best, if not the best organization in the NBA”
June 13, 2023 is a historic date for Serbian and European basketball. After Igor Kokoskov, Rajakovic became the second Serb, and at the same time European, who took over the helm of an NBA team.
Cacak native came to one of the best systems in the league. The Raptors are known for their winning culture, similar to that of the Boston Celtics or the Miami Heat. Regardless of the current roster, the team from Canada always plays for the result. There is no “tanking”. Such an approach brought this franchise the title in 2019.
“Impressions are slowly coming together. Every day I have more and more opportunities to get to know people and how the organization works, which is one of the best, if not the best, in the NBA. This concerns the structure, the people who work in the franchise, the experience they have, the continuity of success. Everything was brought to the highest level,” Rajakovic began the story for Basketball Sphere.
“It is a real pleasure to work with such people and professionals, such as President Masai Ujiri and General Manager Bobby Webster, as well as others who are part of the team.”
It is not widely known how the interviewing process for the head coach went. European and American media cited Sergio Scariolo, Jordi Fernandez, Kenny Atkinson and others as the main favorites, but only in the photo-finish did Rajakovic’s name crystallize.
This time it was the Serbian coach who was the “clutch”. In the manner of some superstars with whom he had the opportunity to collaborate. Like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
About the interview process
The Raptors announced on their official YouTube channel how the final days of negotiations went. In one part, attention was paid to an improvisation media conference, where the candidates faced a wide variety of questions from journalists.
“The process was long. There were different parts of the interview and conversation. That press conference was only a small part. Everything was organized from early in the morning until late in the evening. We had discussions regarding the team and my offensive and defensive philosophy.
We talked about the players, the organization. In connection with that, which people would I bring to coaching staff. We touched on all the points that would concern our joint cooperation and how it would all look like if we were together”, described the Serbian strategist.
Given that he sought his way to the NBA through a Spanish lower league team, the question arises whether he perhaps felt that he would not get a real chance in Serbia, so that is why he chose another way to reach the very top?
“After working in Red Star, I felt the need to learn and improve. I just wanted to see a different work system. At that moment, the Spanish national team was making great results. They had the best domestic league, and they still have it. So it was inspiring for me to try myself in a different environment.
It turned out to be the right move, because there I learned a lot of things that prepared me for the G League. First of all, in terms of interpersonal relations, professionalism, approach to games. I was able in Spain to upgrade the basic education I received in Serbia.”
In Phoenix, they used Djordjevic’s actions
In an exclusive interview that Detroit Pistons front office member and former the Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey gave to Basketball Sphere recently, he said that Rajakovic will bring a part of Serbian culture to the Raptors.
Rajakovic arrival in Toronto is another proof that the American continent is increasingly opening up to those on the other side of the Atlantic, as well as that the barrier between American and non-American coaches has been reduced, following the example of what has been happening with players for decades.
“Europe has a great influence on the NBA. There are more and more NBA coaches, who study, watch and respect the EuroLeague and European coaches. I come from Serbia. I was always close to the ABA League, the Spanish League or the EuroLeague. I always learned from the best coaches. I was looking to “steal” knowledge from them.
Whenever I could apply it in working with my teams in order to help us, we used all these things. Not only in offense, but also in defense. I will certainly continue to do that now in Toronto.”
During his time in Phoenix, where he was an assistant to Monty Williams (current head coach of the Detroit Pistons) Rajakovic spoke about the fact that the team has an action called “Dario cut”, which refers to Dario Saric.
It was not the only tactical thing that Williams relied on, and it concerns our area. In 2019, the Toronto Raptors head coach was part of the Serbian coaching staff at the World Cup in China, and he presented one detail from that period to his colleagues in the NBA.
“I really liked the action that Aleksandar Djordjevic used with the national team. I later showed it to Monty Williams, who also liked it because of the different options he has from that offense, so we used that action for us back then in Phoenix.”
An unavoidable topic, when it comes to the influence of European coaches, but also of the hometown, was the relationship with his colleague from Partizan, Zeljko Obradovic.
“We heard each other, of course. And when I took over the team and when they won the title in the ABA League. Zeljko is a good friend and my great mentor. The man I learn from. Whenever I’m in Serbia, when we have the opportunity to be together, we meet and talk about basketball. We try to spend quality time.”
Scottie Barnes – future leader of Toronto
It is estimated that Rajakovic took over the helm of Toronto because of his exceptional abilities in player development and at the same time producing results. This could best be seen in the example of the Memphis Grizzlies. With a very young core of the team they managed to reach the second position in the Western Conference. It was in the Grizzlies where coach from Cacak was an assistant in the period from 2020 to June of this year.
Now he will try to apply the same recipe to the great talent of the Raptors, Scottie Barnes. After picking up the Rookie of the Year award, he stagnated. And according to some statistical parameters, took a step back (shooting percentage).
One of Rajakovic’s main tasks will be to mold Barnes into the leader of his team.
“Scottie is so talented that the future of the team can be built around him, and we will do that. He is an excellent passer, has a good overview of the game, is creative. He can play in ‘pick and roll’, on ‘post up’. He is excellent in transition, so many things are already good in his game. It needs to be at an even higher level.
This should be connected with him improving his three-point shooting, in order to open up even more space for himself and the team in that segment. He wants to be the defender of the year. This is his great ambition. He wants to continue to develop in this direction. It’s very encouraging when you hear something like that from a young player.”
About Ujiri’s leadership and the NBA draft
The president of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, is considered one of the most respected in his job in the entire league. Taking into account the process of choosing the head coach, it is clear how demanding and thorough it is in the preparation of the team, which wants to restore a recognizable identity after a certain “bad run” after a very successful period, which was rounded off by winning the championship ring.
“First of all, he is a great man and a fantastic leader. He has great confidence in the people he works with. They are great professionals and loyal to him. Likewise, he is a man who knows how to recognize talented players and to form a team so that it competes at a high level, achieves results and develops. He crowned all that by winning the title in 2019.”
Assembling the roster before the new season has largely begun. After the team’s leader in previous seasons, Fred VanVleet, chose to strengthen the Houston Rockets and leave Canada, the recent point guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dennis Schroder, was signed.
The contract with center Jakob Poeltl was extended, and Gradey Dick was chosen as the 13th pick in the draft. The shooter from Kansas will try to improve the accuracy of the team, which last year was only 28th in the league in three-point shooting percentage.
“Gradey is a great shooter, but he is also a very talented guy in general. He has a great feeling for passing the ball, for timing. He also has a good cooperation with teammates on the court. He will be able to develop, to be complete both offensively and defensively.
There is no team in the world that says it needs fewer shooters. Everyone needs more. We were in a great situation because he was available at the 13th pick and we could take him,” Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic concluded in an interview with Basketball Sphere.