Raptors to introduce Rajakovic at 1pm ET on TSN.ca
Published
The Toronto Raptors have called a press conference to introduce their next head coach, Darko Rajakovic, on Tuesday.
Watch the Raptors press conference LIVE on TSN.ca and the TSN App at 1pm ET / 10am PT.
TSN Raptors Insider Josh Lewenberg reported on Sunday that Rajakovic, who worked as an assistant under Taylor Jenkins with the Memphis Grizzlies this past season, was the choice for Toronto after a seven-week hiring process.
The team confirmed Rajakovic hiring on Tuesday, just ahead of the press conference.
A native of Serbia, Rajakovic got his start in North America as head coach of the Tulsa 66ers, the G-League affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He served assistant coaching stints in the NBA with the Thunder, the Phoenix Suns and eventually the Grizzlies.
The Raptors finished the 2022-23 season at 41-41, falling to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament and failing to return to the playoffs after a strong 2021-22 campaign.
Raptors president and general manager Masai Ujiri said he was disappointed with how the season went.
"It's been very disappointing for us and we want to gain momentum back as a team, togetherness," Ujiri told reporters after firing Nurse.
"I could see it throughout the year. There was never that full excitement, that full spirit...you all saw it."
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Golden State Warriors' assistant Kenny Atkinson and Milwaukee Bucks' assistant Charles Lee were other coaches given serious consideration in the process.