"We were rivals, yet he offered me advice" Duško Vujošević's legacy resonates even in the NBA

Pulse Sports Team 15:53 - 11 April 2026

Darko Rajaković, the Serbian basketball coach for the Toronto Raptors NBA franchise, has spoken out following the passing of the legendary Duško Vujošević.

Rajaković was part of the Red Star system from 1999 to 2007, where he crossed paths with Vujošević, who was then with Partizan. He spoke of Vujošević with nothing but the highest regard, choosing his words carefully.

Duško Vujošević was an incredible man, an incredible mentor. I was coaching in Red Star Belgrade's youth system, and he was with Partizan at the time, leading their senior team. We shared the same gym, and he was known for always wanting to 'steal' a bit of our time to do extra work. Even as a rival, he was always open to coming over, talking to me, and saying, 'This is part of my training; I'm sharing knowledge.' That's something I truly, truly appreciate. Even though we never worked together, he always tried to help me. He always tried to help all the coaches in the community. My condolences go out to his family, Partizan, and the entire basketball community in Serbia. Darko Rajaković