Monty Williams Jokes About Darko Rajaković's Coffee Addiction: 'He Sweats Coffee'

Walk into a Toronto Raptors practice this season, and you’ll notice there’s a different energy from the team’s first-year head coach Darko Rajaković.

The 44-year-old first-time NBA head coach whizzes around the gym, talking to players, and, at times, getting involved in training drills with players. During last Thursday’s practice, for example, Rajaković was deep in a conversation with Raptors general manager Bobby Webster and then suddenly sprinted across the width of the OVO practice facility, spent a few seconds defending OG Anunoby, stripped the Raptors forward of the ball, and went into his office for a moment. Within seconds, he was back out, having grabbed his phone, only to run back across the court to show Webster something.

How does he do it?

Rajaković is a self-described coffee enthusiast, a “Espresso connoisseur,” as per his Twitter bio. Those who have worked with him say it’s an astonishing addiction.

“I've yet to run into anyone that can consume that much coffee in one day,” said Detroit Pistons coach Monty Williams who worked alongside Rajaković both in Oklahoma City and then in Phoenix. “It's not just a marvel. It is a machine in his office. He probably has one in the bathroom. I've never seen it. And it's like industrial strength. He starts that thing up and everybody knows Darko's having his espresso. So he just goes, I'm like, where do you put that stuff? He sweats coffee. It's amazing.”

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Rajaković said he’s looked at Williams as a mentor throughout his career and a life-long friend. The two first worked as assistant coaches for the Thunder where their relationship started in in 2015.

“He was one of my role models before even I met him,” Rajaković said of Williams. “He's a very, very close friend of mine.”

Williams took Rajaković with him when he was named the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. It was there that the two furthered their relationship and helped change the culture in Phoenix from one of constant losing to an NBA powerhouse and perennial contender.

“He's just a gem of a person, Gaga and Luka included,” Williams said of Rajaković. “The talks away from the game — we would take long walks because we lived right by each other in Phoenix, and we would just talk about life. I was always interested in what it was like growing up in a different country and going the route that he went on to get to this position.”

On Sunday, it was the apprentice who knocked off the master, albeit with the help of a much better Raptors roster. Toronto had its way with the Pistons but even after a blowout victory for the Raptors, the two men had nothing but affection for one another.