NBA names Raptors’ Rajaković as coach for World team at All-Star Game

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic [AP Photo]

Darko Rajakovic always feels like he’s representing Serbia. At the All-Star Game, he’ll be representing the world.

Rajakovic, the Toronto Raptors’ head coach, will be the coach for the international team at the All-Star Game in Inglewood, California, on Feb. 15, the NBA announced yesterday [Macau time]. It’s a move that will give the new U.S. vs. The World format even more of a global feel.

Rajakovic, who is Serbian and coaches the only NBA team that plays its home games outside of the U.S., will be an All-Star head coach for the first time.

“We had conversations with the NBA, and they were discussing the best way how to have a coach for the World team, for All-Star, for a little bit different format,” Rajakovic told reporters in Toronto Tuesday. “And obviously, it is amazing honor to represent Serbia, to represent Canada, to represent the whole world at the All-Star Game. Really excited to get there together with guys, and, you know, to be part of the great spectacle.”

He’ll lead a team that includes, among others, Serbia’s Nikola Jokic, Slovenia’s Luka Doncic, Cameroon’s Pascal Siakam, plus Canadians Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray.

“All of those guys, obviously the best of the best, and it’s going to be a lot of fun to see all of those international guys being on the same team,” Rajakovic said. “There’s going to be three or four guys that speak my language, so it’s going to be pretty fun. Nikola Jokic, he’s celebrating his birthday around that time as well, so we’ll have a good time.”

Rajakovic has done one of the finest jobs in the league this season.

The Raptors are 30-21 so far this season, on pace for their best record since going 53-19 as the defending NBA champions in the coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 campaign. The Raptors already have matched last season’s win total and are in line for what would be their first playoff berth since 2022.

Rajakovic has a long history in international basketball, starting as a coach in his homeland as a 16-year-old, then later coaching in Spain and eventually serving as a European consultant for San Antonio for the better part of a decade before coming to the U.S. in 2012.

He also coached as part of Serbia’s staff at the 2019 Basketball World Cup.

“Growing up in Europe and coaching in Europe in 17 years before coming to the NBA really shaped me as a coach in fundamental things,” Rajakovic said. “Now taking over as a coach with the Toronto Raptors and really understanding that I represent a different NBA team, a team that represents a whole country, a team that is in Canada, I think it’s a great fit for me and the organization.”

At All-Star Weekend, Rajakovic will join J.B. Bickerstaff of the Detroit Pistons and Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs as the coaches for this season’s mini-tournament — the first time the NBA has tried the U.S. vs. The World concept.

Bickerstaff got his spot because the Pistons have the best record in the Eastern Conference.  TIM REYNOLDS, Basketball Writer, MDT/AP