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Serbia's Rajakovic to become new Raptors coach: reports / Photo: © NBAE / Getty Images/AFP/File
Serbia's Rajakovic to become new Raptors coach: reports
Darko Rajakovic, a Serbian assistant coach for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies the past three seasons, will be hired as the new Toronto Raptors head coach,according to multiple reports Saturday.
Rajakovic would replace Nick Nurse, who was fired in April after the Raptors failed to reach the NBA playoffs. Nurse was hired as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this month.
Rajakovic and the Raptors are hammering out contract details, unnamed sources told The Athletic and ESPN.
The 44-year-old Serbian spent 2012-2014 as head coach for the development team of the Oklahoma City Thunder, then spent 2014-2019 as an assistant coach for the NBA club. He joined the Phoenix Suns' staff for one season before signing as an assistant coach with Memphis in September 2020.
In January of last year, Rajakovic served as an interim head coach of the Grizzlies, going 4-1 in his brief stint in the role.
His hiring by Toronto would fill the last coaching vacancy in the league ahead of the June 22 NBA Draft.
D. Meier--BTZ
