While the Los Angeles Lakers interviewed a handful of candidates for their head coaching vacancy this offseason, it appeared Byron Scott was always the favorite to land the gig.
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It took a while for the process to play out though Scott was eventually hired and has recently been building his coaching staff for the upcoming season.
One name who was said to be in competition with Scott for the Lakers head coaching gig was iconic European basketball mind Igor Kokoskov, though understandably the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to hire somebody with close ties to the organization. That wasn’t Kokosov though that doesn’t mean the Serbian native won’t be a member of the Lakers coaching staff.
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the team is close to hiring Igor Kokoskov as an assistant coach to Scott.
While Kokoskov has worked with various club teams in Belgrade and both the men’s and junior national teams in the past, he most recently has spent time in the NBA an an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns. He also worked with the Detroit Pistons during their mid-2000 glory years.
In addition, Igor Kokoskov has worked at the college level as he was an assistant coach with the University of Missouri during their 1999-2000 season.
Should be a nice get for the Los Angeles Lakers assuming a deal can be worked out.