The Toronto Raptors have hired Spanish national team head coach Sergio Scariolo to join Nick Nurse’s coaching staff for the 2018-19 season, Sportsnet can confirm.
Scariolo, 57, coached Spain’s national team from 2009-12, and from 2015 until present, winning three EuroBasket gold medals, a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in 2012 and a silver in London in 2012. His impressive résumé also includes an Italian league title and two Spanish league championships as a coach.
He also coached Raptors centre Serge Ibaka during multiple appearances for Spain in international competitions.
It will be a whole new look on the bench for the Raptors next season. Scariolo will join assistants Adrian Griffin, the longtime player who was an assistant for the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, and Nate Bjorkgren, a former Phoenix Suns assistant who coached under Nurse for four seasons with the G League’s Iowa Energy.
This will be Nurse’s first season as a head coach in the NBA.
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