Darko Rajakovic's coaching style is certainly not for everybody.
I think it’s a pretty 50-50 split when it comes to the discussion about Rajakovic’s effectiveness atop the Raptors’ helm. While I have my reservations about him from time to time, I can also appreciate the friendly rapport he’s built with the talent over his three-season tenure, as well as the times he’s tried to hold players accountable — at least in his own way.
Some may think Rajakovic can be too nice at times, but I believe he still does a solid job of being realistic and straightforward. Speaking on this point, Rajakovic answered a very probing question at the post-game Raptors-Warriors presser that addressed Toronto's recent setbacks and their true position in the NBA pecking order, after picking up a very statement win over tough competition.
He was asked: "You mentioned the Washington game in passing. I know you're always preaching not to get too high or too low, but like after that game and sort of the last month to a lesser extent, how important was just a feel-good win like this?"
Darko Rajakovic responded (YouTube link here):
Coach Rajakovic emphasizes keeping Raptors' expectations grounded
"I mean, I think we're doing really good job [sic]. I want to remind everybody where we at [sic]. We're in the second year of our rebuild. If somebody told us, all of us, in September that right now we're going to be with a score [record] 19-14 — all of us, we would sign it up right away, right? So, we're seeing a lot of growth. We did have and we still have and we're still dealing with some injuries, and we're missing Jak [Jakob Poeltl] who is a huge, huge piece for us. So you know, that nine-game winning streak and all of that, that got a little bit hype full from everybody (smiles). We need to be realistic, we need to understand where we're at as a team, and just take it one step at a time. So even through this last month, four or five weeks, we had some important wins and we had some losses that also helped us to get better. And part of that loss to Washington was us coming back with much more urgency and grit tonight. "Darko Rajakovic, Dec. 28, 2025
These comments essentially sum up the rhetoric of Raptors Nation lately, while also, in my opinion, serving as a very candid response from Toronto's head of command to keep the team in check —without discounting their efforts or ceiling as a team. We all saw in November that Toronto could string together a series of wins (the nine straight, as mentioned), but as Rajakovic pointed out, it may have kind of gaslit the fan base and even the players to some extent.
It’s great to see that kind of success, but it’s just as important to recognize where the team really stands as a whole, not just during a positive winning streak. I wouldn’t call it a full-blown rebuild, more like a retool, but Rajakovic’s statement reinforced his view of where the Raptors are — even with their comfortable position in the East at the moment. There are still a lot of question marks, issues to navigate (like the troubling Poeltl developments), and I appreciate that coach Darko said, “One step at a time.”
Getting too ahead of ourselves will only be a detriment.