Rajkovic separates with Tofas before the end of his first year

By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net

Emil Rajkovic is no longer the head coach of Tofas. The Bursa-based outfit announced its decision to part ways with the 47-year-old tactician on Thursday, following a dismal run of seven losses in their last eight games across all competitions.

Rajkovic assumed head-coaching responsibilities at the start of the 2025–26 season, leading the team in both the Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi and the Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL.

At the continental level, his tenure included a balanced 3–3 record in the Regular Season, enough to secure second place in Group D. After defeating Cholet in a best-of-three Play-In series, Tofas advanced to the Round of 16 Group J. However, the team was recently eliminated from Quarterfinal contention after a disappointing 1–3 start in the double-legged round-robin schedule.

In domestic play, a string of four consecutive BSL losses reduced the team’s record to 8–11. This decline followed a more promising start where the club clinched a berth in the midseason Ziraat Bankasi Turkiye Kupasi as the eighth seed at the midway point of the Regular Season.

Prior to his stint in Bursa, Rajkovic served as the CSKA play-caller from 2022 to 2024, earning the VTB United League Coach of the Year award for the 2022–23 season. He received the same honor in the 2018–19 season while leading Astana.

His previous coaching roles includes a spell with the senior national team of Kazakhstan as head coach, besides working as an assistant at North Macedonia, following earlier head coaching assignments at the junior level with his home country.

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