Raptors to add Patrick Mutombo to coaching staff

To fill out the rest of their coaching staff, the Toronto Raptors are reportedly set to hire Patrick Mutombo (no relation to Dikembe, sadly) as a new assistant coach. This info comes to us via Blake “Restless” Murphy of Raptors Republic.

Mutombo comes to the Raptors after a stint in the D-League with the Austin Spurs as an assistant coach. Before that, from 2011 to 2015 he was with the Denver Nuggets as first a player development coordinator and then a full-on assistant. Given their Nuggets connection, and their mutual Giants of Africa bond, it’s safe to assume Masai Ujiri knows and likes Mutombo as a person and professional going into this new arrangement. Mutombo will presumably slot into the player development role (as Jama Mahlalela moves up to a bigger assistant coaching role). It feels like a solid move all around.

With the departure of Andy Greer from the bench, and Jesse Murmuys from the D-League, the Raptors coaching ranks have been turned all around. Jerry Stackhouse is the Raptors 905 head coach. As mentioned, Mahlalela will now take on a bigger role (as held by Greer) and Mutombo will go to work behind him.

(All that’s left for me to do now is figure out how Blake broke this story on a Sunday morning. I’ll be seeing him later today and will be sure to pester him with questions.)