The head coach of the Toronto Raptors, Serbian expert Darko Rajaković, together with his family, has continued a praiseworthy humanitarian action, donating significant funds to children’s hospitals in Canada, the United States, and Serbia.
Following the end of the NBA season, the Rajaković family donated a total of 79,761 dollars, marking the completion of the third consecutive year of their “Assists for a Smile” initiative.
The entire amount was collected based on the performance of the Toronto basketball players, as 33 dollars were set aside for each of the team’s 2,417 assists. Those 2,417 plays are a franchise record.
The money will, as in previous years, be evenly distributed among three institutions that hold special significance for the life and career of the Serbian coach: “SickKids” Children’s Hospital in Toronto, “St. Jude” Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, where Rajaković worked as an assistant coach, and the “Tiršova” University Children’s Clinic in Belgrade.
Darko Rajakovic and his family has donated US$79,761 across SickKids Hospital in Toronto, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, and the University Children's Hospital in Belgrade.
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) May 5, 2026
Raptors had 2,417 assists this season, Rajakovic had committed to US$33/assist.
This action has become a tradition since Rajaković took over the Raptors. The initiative began more modestly, with 20 dollars per assist in the first season (2023/24). The following season, on the occasion of the club’s 30th anniversary, the stake was increased to 30 dollars, while in the recently completed season, it reached 33 dollars per successful pass for a teammate’s points.
Thanks to the excellent team play of the Raptors, who were regularly at the top of the NBA league in terms of the number of assists, the total amount of donations over three seasons reached an impressive 196,661 dollars. So far, there is no information that other donors have joined this specific action organized exclusively by the Rajaković family.
“Knowing that we made a small difference for families going through a difficult period gives us the confidence to continue with our support,” Rajaković stated in a press release.
The Serbian coach, who has a son with his wife Gaga, pointed out that parenthood gives him additional motivation for this action and praised the work of the medical staff.
“Those hospitals around the world that work with children and families, ‘SickKids’ here in Toronto, ‘St. Jude’ in Memphis, and the ‘Tiršova’ Children’s Clinic in Serbia, do an outstanding job. When you have the opportunity to talk to the employees in those hospitals, you realize how dedicated they are and how much they want to help children. Once again, thanks to the hardworking medical staff who have dedicated their lives to improving children’s health,” Rajaković added.
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Source: RTS, Foto: AP