Toronto – Mission Daro Radzhakovich changed in his third season as the head coach Toronto Raptors.
The expectations were low for him, and his predators patrolled the side line for the first two years, since the then President Masai Udzhiri signaled that the franchise is in recovery mode. But now, with the exception of any moves in the middle of the season, in order to prepare for a deep drive of the play -off, the Toronto list seems deep and more or less completed.
This means that the main direction of Rajakovich is no longer the development of young players, but to make up the “raptors” of their first post -zone pier after exit in the first round in 2022.
“Having entered this season, a big slogan will be“ victory for everyone ”,” Rajakovich said on Monday on the day of the Toronto Media. “Not only to win games, but also to win for the community, to win for this country to win each other in order to win for a person next to you.
“I think that it will be very important for us to continue to have such a unity that, I think, is a plan for this team, and continue to rely on it.”
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Rajakovich led Toronto to 25-57 records in the 2023-24 season, his first as the head coach in the NBA. Last season, “predators” finished with 30-52 records, but stopped their starters on alternating nights on the site.
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However, this season is different.
All Toronto players were healthy when a training camp at the University of Kalgary, including the small forward, Brandon Ingrem, began on Tuesday. The former All-Star was purchased in February in the end of the trade last season, but was never abandoned for “predators” when he recovered from stretching the left ankle.
In addition, Toronto’s depth is significantly improved, especially compared to the 2023-24 season, when the bench was essentially one player. Now the formidable second division of Cardy Dick, Jamal Shead, Ochai Agbaji and Ja'Kobe Walter will be able to play important minutes if the starting five fall into unpleasant problems or should catch their breath.
“I expect that we will be competitive in 82 games and went there to try to win every game,” said Rajakovich. “I have high ambitions. I do not evade it.
“I am ready for the test. I'm ready to go there and compete. ”
The starting center Jacob Popalt says that Rajakovich has not changed as a person over the past two years, but that the 46-year-old coach now sends his espress-stimulated drive in a new way.
“He brought this fire, energy and passion directly from the jump, and he still does it today,” said Select at his press conference. “I think that the thinking of coaches in their game plan has changed a bit, and this is also a different situation.
“I think that he is just trying to get the maximum return on everyone, for example, to try to gain this style of play and make everyone give us 100 percent every night.”
General manager Bobby Webster, who officially replaced the dismissed Udzhir as the head of the “Raptors of basketball operations” in August, noted that Raptors did not make any other significant changes in the frame or staff in the off -season.
Webster said that this means that on Rajakovich there was no pressure from the integration of someone new or create a development plan for him.
“I think that he has his own expectations from himself,” webster told reporters on Friday. “He knows what he can train, he knows that he is incredible in communicating with these players, they all know their roles, they all know what expectations are for them.
“I think this is also another year of growth.”
This report of the Canadian press was first published on September 30, 2025.
& Copy 2025 Canadian press
