The Toronto Raptors announced on Wednesday they have hired Adrian Griffin, Sergio Scariolo, Nate Bjorkgren and Phil Handy as assistant coaches to complete rookie head coach Nick Nurse’s staff.
“Adrian, Sergio, Nate and Phill each bring something different to our staff and our team,” Nurse said in a news release. “They have a blend of experiences that will give our team a unique perspective. We’ve already had substantive conversations about where Raptors basketball is and where we intend to go, and we can’t wait to get to work in earnest.”
The new set of assistant coaches will join holdovers Patrick Mutumbo, Jim Sann and Eric Khoury for the 2018-19 season.
Griffin is one of the more familiar names, having played in the NBA for nine seasons for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls and Seattle Supersonics. He has since served as an assistant in Milwaukee, Chicago and Orlando, before his last stop in Oklahoma City for the past two seasons.
Italian Scariolo is arguably the most intriguing hire of the lot, coming over to the NBA after 20 years in Europe. He has been the head coach of Spain’s national team since 2009, winning a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal in 2016.
The 57-year-old also won the FIBA EuroBasket three times with Spain in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
Bjorkgren was an advanced scout for the Raptors a season ago, while Handy comes over to the Raptors after five seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers where he served as both director of player development and assistant coach.
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