Via Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:
In an innovative and historic hiring, the Oklahoma City Thunder have reached agreement with Serbian Darko Rajakovic to coach the franchise’s Development League affiliate in Tulsa, sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Rajakovic’s hiring with the Tulsa 66ers is still pending his completion of the immigration process, sources said.
Rajakovic, 33, is the first European to be hired as a head coach for an NBDL or NBA franchise. Thunder general manager Sam Presti has had a long relationship with Rajakovic, including a working partnership that began when Presti was an assistant GM with the San Antonio Spurs. Presti targeted Rajakovic for the Thunder’s minor-league position out of a strong belief in Rajakovic’s ability to develop the franchise’s young players who’ll spend time there, sources said.
Rajakovic has spent his last three seasons as the head coach of Torrelondes in Spain. Presti also helped bring Rajakovic in as a scout and consultant in 2004 with the Spurs.
Rajakovic replaces Dale Osbourne who left the 66ers to take an assistant coaching job with the Portland Trail Blazers. Previous to that, Nate Tibbetts left the post to take an assistant position with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I almost got a girl pregnant in high school. It's costing me a fortune to keep the rabbit on a life-support system." www.coachhire.uk.com
hey guys
For having only 27 comments, the responses on this thread were stellar--definitely a high-volume of quality comments.
Good read.
Assistant coach, Nenad Krstic.
Guy must be hardcore: "Started to work as Basketball Coach at age of 16 and he was youngest coach in history of BC Borac. At age of 19 took over U-18 team of Red Star" But it appears not a player.
Hope he is good at teaching defense.
@Crow
Do you remember when Serbian Jenni Carlson wrote that scathing article on one of Rajakovic's U-18 players? And then he had that memorable interview, where he yells out, "I'm a man. I'm 19!!!" Fun times.
Final Roster -
1 Russ 2 KD 3 Harden 4 Ibaka 5 Perk 6 Collison 7 Maynor 8 Jackson 9 Thabeet 10 PJ3 11 Sef 12 Aldrich13 Liggins 14 Orton 15 Cook
I think the final 3 spots come down to Lazar or Liggins? Cook or Rautins (Cook is more proven)? and then Orton, Lazar or Rautins for the final spot?
I just don't think Lazar brings that much to the table. He doesn't do anything really well. He hustles and is not afraid to shoot it. Liggins is better defensively though which we might need if Thabo gets hurt. Orton seems to have some upside offensively if they can improve his defense.
@okcjim Lazar would have to be waived or traded. While the team has occasionally been OK with punting money away, I doubt he is waived. He's as good as a lock at this point.
I just couldn't be happier for whoever this is. IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD WEDNESDAY.
In Serbia, basketball dunks you.
Apparently the game got better after I left.......
#curseofthethabeet
Royce White finally played a preseason game last night. Looked lost most of the night. The Rio Grande Valley Vipers do travel a lot by bus so he should be fine this season.
i went to go play my first game of the season, came back to a completely new nba.com
i had to even search it on google to make sure i've got the right website
most off topic thing ever: can someone explain this quote to me?
"I almost got a girl pregnant in high school. It's costing me a fortune to keep the rabbit on a life-support system."
@persiansooner13
You must be kinda young. :) Here you go . . . the rabbit test:
http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/rabbit.asp
just watched this: http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2012/10/17/20121016-gametime-karl-malone.nba?ls=iref:nbahpt2
i think Malone said something that our big men who can't catch for their lives should try doing, knock the ball down. so simple, yet can be so effective
@MrRaysian That is very uncanny, and something that I have never thought about, yet you're right it can be very effective for someone who isn't the best at catching the ball.
Max vert reach all time according to draftexpress:
1. Shaquille O'neal
2. Solomon Jones
3. some Ukrainian guy who just debuted with the pistons
4. Rudy Gay
5. TYRUS THOMAS
6. Javale McGee
7.DWIGHT HOWARD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGNNOBrS0oY
hehehehehehe
@persiansooner13 oh perry don't BE SO MEAN
damn scott brooks better introduce me to this fool, i love me some serbian cuisine
#CheckingIn
@ou_sas
#Thanks:)
Between this dude & the writer from Grantland as video analyst, we're definitely thinking outside the box on the recent hires. Don't know if that's good or bad.
this guy?
http://www.interperformances.com/basket/detail_coach.php?id=72
@shiki Looks like it. And he's available! Where the single ladies at? :P
Can he throw chairs?
s/o to our Serbian friend Nenad
@OBoy Jones III this confused me greatly until i realized s/o didn't mean significant other
@justin_mia have you ever had trouble deciding on if you should laugh or vomit?
@OBoy Jones III @justin_mia
All I know is that cleandoe is missing a 1am like rainbow.