Jama Mahlalela reportedly is returning to where he began his NBA coaching career.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday, citing sources, that the 43-year-old Warriors assistant coach is joining Darko Rajakovic’s new staff with the Toronto Raptors where he and former Washington Wizards assistant Pat Delaney are expected to be named top assistants on Rajakovic’s bench.
Born in present-day Eswatini, Mahlalela called Canada home for much of his adult life.
Immediately following his graduation from the University of British Columbia in 2004, he joined the Thunderbirds staff, serving as an assistant for four seasons. In the meantime, he got more involved in the Raptors’ community development initiatives and the NBA’s efforts to expand their global presence.
He eventually was named director of basketball operations for NBA Asia and oversaw numerous camps and youth development programs while living in Hong Kong.
Mahlalela returned to Canada ahead of the 2013-14 Raptors season. He spent the next eight seasons in Toronto, three of those years serving as head coach of the Raptors’ G League affiliate, Raptors 905.
He joined the Warriors in 2021 and immediately earned his first NBA championship, coaching under Steve Kerr.
Thursday’s announcement of the addition of Mahlalela and Delaney to the Raptors’ staff comes in the midst of considerable turnover in Toronto.
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Less than two months ago, the franchise fired head coach Nick Nurse. Nurse spent a decade with the team — half of that as head coach — and delivered Toronto its first-ever championship in 2021. He since has been hired as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Meanwhile, the Raptors made history by hiring the Serbian-born Rajakovic earlier this month, making him just the second European-born head coach in league history.
Mahlalela will have just over four months to get situated with the Raptors before the 2023-24 regular season kicks off on Oct. 24.
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