One of the more memorable sideshows from a Toronto Raptors season that was anything but typical was when Nick Nurse and several assistant coaches were lost for an extended period of time. With a shortage of coaches and players, Sergio Scariolo stepped in and made sure the Raptors were at least functioning.
While they went on a bit of a losing streak with Scariolo at the helm, the fact that he kept them competitive and led them to a couple of victories deserves tons of praise given what an unusual situation it was. After Nate Bjorkgren and Chris Finch left the bench, Scariolo started taking on an even more important role.
Scariolo, who is going to coach the Spanish national team in the Olympics over the summer, still has his eye on the NBA, and his latest rumored move could help Toronto remain competitive for years to come.
Per Chema de Lucas of Eurohoops.net, Scariolo will agree to sign a new multi-year deal that will keep him as one of the top assistants on his bench for years to come. For a team that keeps losing assistants, keeping Scariolo is a nice move that should help their staff remain more consistent over the next few seasons.
Sergio Scariolo will extend his stay in Toronto with a new multi-year deal per @chemadelucas https://t.co/Hsgcz0DBo9
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) May 10, 2021
Sergio Scariolo has helped the Toronto Raptors.
The 60-year-old Italian is one of the most successful European coaches in history, as he won championships in Italy, Spain, and Russia during a 25-year coaching career overseas. he made the journey to North America in 2018, and he helped the Raptors assert themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
The Raptors won their first championship with Scariolo on the sidelines, and his ability to rally the troops helped the Raptors put up a fight despite their entire roster of assistant coached and most of their starting lineup sidelined due to the league’s health and safety protocols.
With the Spanish team, Scarilo has won a silver and a bronze Olympic medal, the 2019 FIBA World Cup, and three Eurobasket trophies. On 99% of teams in this world, Scariolo would be an exceptionally qualified head coach, so having him as a backup plan gives the Raptors tons of security for the future.
Scariolo might not be the Nick Nurse replacement, but he has shown to be one of the most insightful basketball minds globally, and the Raptors being able to lean on someone as sagely as him when they need to draw up a play.