Originally Published: 2009-05-17

Jay Triano

Ultimately, it was the least risky decision, and certainly the most obvious: Jay Triano will again coach the Toronto Raptors next season. The announcement was made this past May 12 by Dinos president Bryan Colangelo.
Triano, who replaced Sam Mitchell last December, signed a three-year contract — a clear signal of the organization’s intention of laying groundwork for building a future with a coach who is highly regarded in the dressing room. Triano is the first Canadian head coach to guide an NBA team.
“We carefully evaluated all our options and came to the conclusion that Jay Triano was the right person to guide the team in the future,” said president Colangelo. “Despite the initial difficulties last season, Triano never stopped coaching, teaching, and guiding a team that ended the season in a very positive manner.”
It was the last part of the season, in fact, that convinced top management to look internally without again upsetting the dressing room equilibrium.
The game results were not in Triano’s favour: under his guide, the team won 25 games but lost 40. His predecessor, Sam Mitchell, actually had a better winning percentage before being let go, with eight wins and nine losses.
As mentioned, however, the season’s final stretch that ended with nine wins and four losses was a deciding factor, and even more so was evidence of the improved level of play. Triano can also be credited with launching Andrea Bargnani – a player who finally found his rhythm and established himself as one of the top young NBA prospects.
Both Colangelo and Triano were at the May 12 press conference.
Triano was clearly satisfied with the confirmation: “It is a great honour for me to be acknowledged by an organization I have worked with the past seven years of my life,” he explained. “I often stayed up late into the night preparing for games, and now I am very happy and excited.”
Everyone associated with the team is content with the outcome, beginning with Bargnani. “Coach Triano’s confirmation as coach makes me happy,” said the former Benetton Treviso player. “I’ve never hidden the fact that I was comfortable under him – I became a starter, and enjoyed significantly productive continuity. I feel he is the right person to start a new project with in Toronto.”

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