'I want those guys to know I really care about them': Darko Rajakovic on Raptors players

Darko Rajakovic explains how he plans to get the buy-in from players on the Raptors' roster. Watch the full availability on our YouTube or listen on the 'Raptors Over Everything' podcast feed.

Video Transcript

- --you see as your strengths as a coach. And what are areas that you're looking to improve as you take over here?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: I see-- I see my love and the passion for the game and my commitment to the team as my biggest strength. This is not about me. This is about those guys. This is about the team, how we're going to get to the next level. My goal is not to get one player better but all 17 players in the roster, how we can improve those guys and help those guys.

So-- so my core belief is, when you improve players, like, that it's much easier to put strategies and tactics in. And that's going to give you a result. That's going to be your outcome. So I always operate like that. For me, season does not start in October. For me, season started three days ago when I was appointed here as the head coach.

And I'm trying to win every single day. When we come in our practice facility on the board, we have a win for every day. And we need to win every day. It's not just about winning a game. It's about winning. Like, is the line going to cut a little bit better? Are we going to move the ball a little bit better?

Are we going to be more together and more team? The more we have that, the better we are going to be. And-- and that's going to make all of us proud of our team.

VIVEK JACOB: Hey, Darko, Vivek Jacob, Raptors.com. Congratulations.

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: Thank you.

VIVEK JACOB: You mentioned the importance of building that relationship with the players. What do you feel are the keys to connecting with your players on a human level?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: First of all, I want to be very invested in them as human beings. And as I see as every player as a person with family, with all of what's going on in their lives, I want those guys to know and to feel that I really care about them. And I really want to connect-- and connect with those guys on a personal level.

When they know how much I love them and care about them, I have a strong belief that we're going to come together as a group and be ready to take it to another level.