Raptors Add 2 More to Coaching Staff, per Report

The Toronto Raptors have added Vin Bhavnani and Mike Batiste to their assistant coaching staff for next season

All Raptors Staff | Jun 29, 2023

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

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Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors are continuing to fill out their coaching staff with Darko Rajaković now at the helm.

The two latest names to emerge are Vin Bhavnani and Mike Batiste, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. They’ll join Jama Mahlalela, Pat Delany, and Ivo Simovic as the newest — albeit unofficial — names to join the staff, per ESPN.

Bhavnani is a player development coach who most recently worked as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder alongside Rajaković. He came up originally as an assistant video coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs before joining the player development staff for the Thunder. Recently, he’s been self-employed as a skills coach in the Oklahoma City area.

Batiste will join Toronto after spending last year with the Houston Rockets. He’s been an assistant coach since 2014 and has a background in player development as well. He previously spent 14 years playing professionally around the world. He was briefly a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, appearing in 75 games for the team in 2002-03.

Those five along with Jim Sann who is expected to be retained by Toronto brings the staff to six assistant coaches alongside Rajaković. The Raptors had an unusually large coaching staff last year that’s expected to be much smaller this season. It’s unclear how many more names Toronto is planning to add before the season starts.

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