DARKO RAJAKOVIĆ SIGNS MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE TORONTO RAPTORS

TORONTO, JULY 2 /SRNA/ – Serbian basketball coach Darko Rajaković /47/ has signed a multi-year contract with the NBA's Toronto Raptors, the team he has coached since 2023.

Toronto finished last season with a 46-36 record in the regular season before being eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3 in the first round of the playoffs.

Rajaković became the first European head coach to lead an NBA team to the playoffs and is now the first Serbian head coach to sign a contract extension with an NBA team he has led.

Details of the new deal have not been disclosed, other than that it is a multi-year agreement.

Rajaković had previously been under contract through the summer of 2027, and the new deal is expected to keep him in Toronto beyond that date.

Rajaković says he is proud of the progress the team has made, but the team is aware of having a lot of work ahead.

"We will continue to grow, work together and remain committed to improving every day until we achieve our ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship ring."

Rajaković was born in Čačak, Serbia, and before joining the NBA worked his way through the coaching ranks as an assistant.

He served on the coaching staffs of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies, and was head coach of the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA G League.

Rajaković was appointed head coach of the Toronto Raptors in June 2023, becoming only the second non-North American head coach, following fellow Serbian Igor Kokoškov.