Before coaching Kawhi Leonard in Toronto, Darko Rajakovic was in the San Antonio Spurs’ draft room when the team traded for the pick that became the future star.
Darko Rajakovic and Kawhi Leonard’s working relationship did not begin in Toronto. It reaches back to 2011, when Rajakovic was a scout in the San Antonio Spurs’ draft room and part of the team that traded for the pick that became Leonard.
Fifteen years later, Rajakovic is the Toronto Raptors’ head coach, and Leonard is now working with him. A connection that began with one of the biggest decisions of Leonard’s early career has come full circle in Toronto.
From the Spurs’ draft room to the Raptors’ bench
Rajakovic was with San Antonio when the organization made the call to acquire the pick that became Leonard. His role put him close to the decision before Leonard’s NBA career had taken shape.
That history gives their current partnership a distinctive layer. Rajakovic knew Leonard as a prospect the Spurs chose to bring into the organization. Now, he is responsible for coaching him years later at the NBA level.
The supplied graphic captures the timeline in two simple phrases: “2011: DRAFTED KAWHI” and “2026: COACHING KAWHI.” The contrast turns a long career arc into a single image, linking the draft-room decision to the pair’s current work in Toronto.
A long-running basketball connection, now in Toronto
Rajakovic’s path from scout to head coach mirrors Leonard’s rise from a draft pick to one of the game’s established stars. Their shared history does not guarantee what the partnership will produce, but it gives both men a point of connection that began well before this Raptors chapter.
For Toronto, the story is a reminder that basketball relationships can stretch across roles and years. Rajakovic was there when San Antonio made the decision to trade for the pick that became Leonard. Now, he is coaching the player whose NBA journey began with that choice.
Thank you for reading. This article is complete. Read more articles here | TalkofToronto.ca
