Darko Rajakovic is not going anywhere. The Raptors have locked up their head coach on a multi-year extension, with financial terms not released.
“We’re thrilled to extend Darko as head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Darko’s strong development philosophy and commitment to a team-first culture shine through on a daily basis,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said in a statement.
“We’ve seen these qualities play out on the court, our team plays hard, plays together, and fights until the end. Darko knows there’s more to be done, and we’re looking forward to seeing the continued growth of this team.”
Like Webster before him, Rajakovic was heading into the final year of his deal, but now he’s locked in long term.
The Raptors recently made one of the biggest swings of the offseason by bringing Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto, and expectations around the team have changed immediately. When you add a move like that, everything else around the roster starts to feel different, including the coaching situation.
Rajakovic has earned the extension. He has improved each of his first three seasons. His first season was a rebuild grind, the second was a step forward, and last year the Raptors finished 46–36, grabbed the fifth seed in the East, and made the playoffs for the first time in four years.
Rajakovic’s hard work also picked up some league recognition along the way. He was asked to coach Team World at All-Star Weekend, and even earned a third-place Coach of the Year vote. Darko also became the first European head coach to coach a playoff game.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing dealing with these challenges but he has shown he can rise to the occasion. Now the challenge changes again. With Kawhi in the mix the team’s championship window is cracked open and Rajakovic is the one who gets to lead that version of the Raptors.
