Energy, passion, and knowledge. All of this is required for an expert to become elite. Darko Rajakovic possesses all of these qualities. When he stepped in front of an extremely well-attended Euroleague coaches’ clinic in Athens to teach defensive principles, there was no doubt – he left everyone breathless. An hour and a half passed as if it were nothing, while the 15 minutes allocated for questions were far too short.

Simply put, he knocked it out of the park. Starting with war terminology, using Russian airplanes to explain what “MIG” (most important guy) means to him and to the one of the greatest NBA coach, Gregg Popovich, he turned his words into vivid imagery and began explaining, in a unique way, how a defender should navigate through screens unscathed and why Steph Curry has a slightly lower efficiency rate.

Tactics and more tactics. This defined the first three days of the EuroLeague coaches’ congress, which is understandable. Accordingly, Darko Rajakovic began his conversation with Basketball Sphere by explaining what the current offensive and defensive postulates in modern basketball represent for him.

emphasized the head coach of the Toronto Raptors.

It was a surprise when the news came that Masai Ujiri would no longer be part of the leadership of the Canadian franchise. He had been an extremely important figure in the organization, winning a championship ring with them, but the time had come for them to part ways. Ujiri had developed a strong connection with the Serbian strategist.

Day 2 starts with high-level defensive concepts from the NBA to OAKA!@Raptors head coach @DRajakovic & assistant coach Jama Mahlalela open the floor with an on-court masterclass deep dive into Top Lock Defense vs Off-Ball Screens and DHOs! pic.twitter.com/3kMi36TseF

— EuroLeague Head Coaches Board – EHCB (@HeadCoachesOrg) July 4, 2025

After two seasons of laying the foundation and building momentum, it seems that now is the time for a breakthrough. Eric Koreen, a journalist from The Athletic specializing in the Toronto Raptors, noted in a column that certain injuries (Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard) have opened up a path for the Raptors in the Eastern Conference, and raised the question—could it be time for a big trade?

While results may not have been the top priority in the first two seasons, the next one could see greater emphasis on performance.

When it comes to “big names,” the Toronto Raptors certainly have someone who could be considered one. There’s great anticipation to see what Brandon Ingram can bring to Darko Rajakovic’s team.

Alongside the Serbian strategist, other Europeans are also holding head coach positions in the NBA, including Jordi Fernandez with the Brooklyn Nets and Tuomas Iisalo with the Memphis Grizzlies. The former received his opportunity at the start of the season, while the latter, after a stint as interim head coach, was confirmed for the permanent position starting this fall.

concluded Darko Rajakovic in his conversation with Basketball Sphere from Athens.