Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic offered extraordinary praise for Scottie Barnes in a recent interview, describing the 25-year-old All-Star as the player at the center of his coaching vision.
“There’s no Phil Jackson without Michael Jordan. My Michael Jordan is Scottie Barnes,” Rajakovic said, via Omer Osman. The Raptors coach also called Barnes “a young guy with a big heart” and “a great worker,” adding that the forward sees and plays basketball in a way that closely matches his own vision for the game.
Barnes backed up Rajakovic’s confidence during the 2025-26 season, averaging 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks in 80 games. He shot 50.7% from the field and earned an All-Star selection while finishing fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and being named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
The statistical profile illustrates why Barnes occupies such a central role in Toronto’s system. His 5.9 assists per game matched Immanuel Quickley for the highest average among Raptors regulars, while his 7.5 rebounds ranked second on the team behind Jakob Poeltl.
Rajakovic’s comparison to Jordan was clearly framed around the coach-player relationship rather than a direct comparison between Barnes and the six-time NBA champion. The Serbian coach emphasized his appreciation for having a player whose versatility allows him to execute the style of basketball Rajakovic wants Toronto to play.
Rajakovic said he is grateful for coaching a player like Barnes, describing him as one of the “very, very rare players throughout the NBA.”
Barnes’ two-way production helped Toronto take a significant step forward in 2025-26. The Raptors finished 46-36, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference and their first playoff berth under Rajakovic.
Toronto pushed Cleveland to seven games in the first round before losing the series 4-3. Barnes started all 80 regular-season games, giving the Raptors a durable centerpiece alongside Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Quickley.
Ingram led Toronto in scoring at 21.5 points per game, while Barrett averaged 19.3 points in 57 appearances. Barnes, however, was the only Raptors player to combine at least 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block per game.
