Earlier this week, CBS Sports revealed its top 30 coaches’ lists. As with any ranking, people disagreed with the placements of some coaches, most notably Coach Greg Popovich, who was left out of the top 10. Another intriguing placement was Tornoto’s Coach Darko Rajakovic, who landed at 26th in the “we don’t know enough” tier. That ranking seems fair, with Rajakovic having only been at the helm of the Raptors ship for just one season. However, that season has offered insight into Rajakovic’s philosophy. So here’s what we do know about Rajakovic and his coaching style.
What We Learned About Coach Darko Rajakovic Last Season
Ball Movement Is King
One of the central tenets of Rajakovic’s coaching philosophy is ball movement. In a preseason interview last year, Rajakovic discussed the importance of the pass and wanting to emulate Denver’s style of ball movement. This emphasis on ball movement and passing carried over to the season, with the Raptors averaging 28.5 assists per game. An increase of 4.6 assists per game compared to the 2022-2023 season under Nick Nurse. The increased ball movement was a significant shift from Nurse’s iso-heavy offense, with some players failing to adjust. Rajakovic wasn’t afraid to bench players who couldn’t adapt to the new system, with Chris Boucher falling out of the rotation.
With this focus on ball movement, the Raptors’ offense play types shifted to reflect this. Toronto ran 3.5 fewer isolations per game compared to the last season with Nurse. The Raptors also ran 4.9 handoffs per game, an increase of 1.5 compared to the 2022-2023 season. While these changes haven’t led to wins yet, it is a great base to build a successful offense.
Player Development
It is no secret that the Raptors have failed to develop much young talent over the past few seasons. This is also one of the main reasons Rajakovic was hired as the Raptors’ head coach. Before he arrived in Toronto, Rajakovic worked as a player development coach with the OKC Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and Memphis Grizzlies, where he built a reputation as an elite player development coach. Rajakovic had an immediate effect on player development, with the Raptors helping turn Gradey Dick’s season around after a rough start. He wasted no time putting Dick on a special training regiment that focused on Dick working on his body and stamina. With the Raptors having four rookies for the 2024-2025 season, Rajakovic player development skills will be able to shine even more.
He Will Go To Bat For His Players
One of the most essential parts of being an NBA head coach is earning and keeping the respect of the guys in the locker room. One of the best ways to earn your players’ respect is by showing them you have their back. Rajakovic definitely has proven he has his players’ backs and isn’t afraid to throw himself on the fire for them. Following a brutal one-point loss to the Lakers on January 9th, Rajakovic ripped the refs in the postgame interview for the lack of calls for the team, particularly for his star player Scottie Barnes. In that same interview, Rajakovic proclaimed Barnes would not only be an All-Star but the face of the league.
The Last Word on Darko Rajakovic
There are still many unknowns surrounding Rajakovic. How will he handle the playoff game-to-game adjustments? Can he improve the team’s defense, which was putrid last season? He will have to answer those questions throughout his career with Toronto. What we do know, however, is that he cares about his players, has a clear philosophy for his offense, and can develop young talent.
