By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
Toronto Raptors were more than interested in hiring Lithuanian legend and Zalgiris coach Sarunas Jasikevicus this summer. Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri has interviewed Saras but ultimately picked Nick Nurse as the new head coach.
Raptors newly-appointed coach was watching Jonas Valanciunas playing for Lithuanian national team in Budapest where he confirmed that he wanted to hire Jasikevicius as his top assistant, as Lithuanian media 24sec reported.
“I called him – we talked for a long time“, Nurse said. “I was almost ready to take a trip to Lithuania, but he was working in the LKL finale series at that time. So, we talked through FaceTime to know each other better“, stated the Raptors coach.
“I like him very much. However, I could not possibly persuade him to leave Kaunas, he has unfinished business there“, admitted Nurse.