Darko Rajakovic hired as OK Thunder D-League Coach

Darko Rajakovic has reached a tentative agreement with the Oklahoma City Thunder to coach their NBA D-League affiliate, the Tulsa 66ers. The move makes Rajakovic, originally from Serbia, the first European to be hired as a head coach of an squad associated with the NBA.

Rajakovic has been patrolling the sidelines of the Torrelodones (Spain-EBA) for the past three seasons.

Rajakovic has a long-term professional relationship with Sam Presti, Thunder GM, and sources have stated that his hiring reflects Presti’s conviction that Rajakovic will help the younger talent in the Thunder organization to develop as basketball players.

His profile on his agent’s website:

(Darko Rajakovic) 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 and was youngest coach with that team. He has spent 8 years with Red Star and won couple State and National Championship titles with youth teams. In his career he has won a lot of International Tournaments with youth teams. He was helping as assistant coach with first team of Red Star in pre-season. He was in United States on several occasions where he was learning from Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) and Lute Olson (University of Arizona). He was assistant coach with the Spurs during Summer League 2006. He is working as scouting consultant for the Spurs from 2004. He made 4 instructional DVD’s for Japanese basketball market. He was coaching Mixtape AND1 Serbia on 2 occasions. He was working at Basketball Without Borders, NBA and Fiba Camp, in Treviso in 2003 and 2004. He was working at numerous prestigious Basketball Camps in Serbia, Greece, Spain and Italy. He is hardworking, dedicated, high educated, young but experienced coach.

The assignment to the 66ers is pending Rajakovic completing required immigration documentation.