The Sacramento Kings announced today the members of Head Coach Luke Walton’s coaching staff for the 2019-20 season, naming Igor Kokoskov, Bob Beyer, Jesse Mermuys, and Roy Rana as assistant coaches. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Rana will serve as chief of staff facilitating interdepartmental communication and a streamlined system within the coaching staff. Also named to Walton’s staff are Bobby Jackson as assistant player development coach, Jonah Herscu as advance scout, and Will Scott as head video coordinator and player development coach.
Kokoskov (kuh-KOS-kov) most recently served as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns during the 2018-19 season and brings 19 seasons of experience in the NBA. He holds the distinction of becoming the first non-American born head coach in the NBA (2018), the first non-American assistant to serve on an NBA All-Star Game coaching staff (2006), and the first full-time, non-American assistant coach in league history (2000). Kokoskov has served as an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz (2015-18), Orlando Magic (2014-15), Cleveland Cavaliers (2013-14), Phoenix Suns (2008-13), Detroit Pistons (2003-2008), and Los Angeles Clippers (2000-03). He has been on the coaching staff of seven teams to reach the Conference Finals, two teams to reach the NBA Finals, and won an NBA title as an assistant coach with the Pistons in 2004, becoming the first non-American assistant coach to be an NBA Champion. A native of Belgrade, Serbia, Kokoskov has many accomplishments as an international coach as well. As head coach of the Slovenian national team from 2016-17, he guided the team to a gold-medal finish and perfect 9-0 record at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 as Slovenia captured its first-ever European Championship. Prior to that, Kokoskov was head coach of the Georgian national team from 2008-15, qualifying for EuroBasket three times, a feat which Georgia had never accomplished previously.
Beyer joins the Kings with 35 years of coaching experience at the NBA and collegiate level as he most recently was a part of the Oklahoma City staff as an assistant coach during the 2018-19 season. Before joining the Thunder in 2018, Beyer spent the previous four seasons with the Detroit Pistons as the associate head coach during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons and as an assistant coach from 2014-16. Prior to Detroit, Beyer gained 13 years of NBA experience having been an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats (2013-14), Golden State Warriors (2012-13), Orlando Magic (2007-12), where he helped Orlando reach the postseason five times including a 2009 NBA Finals appearance, and Toronto Raptors (2003-04).
Mermuys (mer-MISS) carries 18 years of basketball prowess at the high school, collegiate, and NBA G League level to go along with NBA experience. Having worked himself from the video room, advance scout, and player development coach, Mermuys rejoins Walton in Sacramento after spending the past three seasons on Walton’s staff as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2016-19. Prior to joining Walton in Los Angeles, Mermuys was named the head coach/assistant general manager of the Toronto Raptors NBA G League affiliate, Raptors 905, for the 2015-16 inaugural season. Before becoming the head coach of the Raptors 905, Mermuys served as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors (2013-15) and during the 2013-14 season he was an assistant coach and the director of player development for the Houston Rockets. Mermuys broke into the NBA with the Denver Nuggets (2008-12) as a video coordinator, advance scout, and assistant coach.
Rana brings 25 years of coaching experience at the international, collegiate, and high school level as he most recently served as head coach for Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team during the 2019 FIBA World Cup Americas Qualifiers where he led Canada to a 10-2 record and a first place finish in Group F to secure a 2019 FIBA World Cup bid. Rana also finished his ninth season as the head coach at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada where he accumulated a record of 157-60 overall and guided the Rams to a 31-7 record during the 2018-19 season. Rana led Ryerson to five consecutive National Championship Medals. He is also the longest serving and all-time winningest coach in Nike Hoop Summit history with over 25 former players now active in the NBA.
Jackson begins his second season as an assistant player development coach for the Kings. Jackson served as a collegiate scout for the organization from 2015-18 and has also served as a regional scout and player development coach for the Kings (2010- 2012) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2013). The Salisbury, North Carolina native played 12 seasons in the NBA, accruing averages of 9.7 points (.417 FG%, .354 3pt%, .793 FT%), 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.98 steals, and 22.2 minutes per contest in 755 games (started 143), punctuated by an NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2003 as a member of the Kings after registering a career-best 15.2 points (.464 FG%, .379 3pt%, .846 FT%), 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.53 steals, and 28.4 minutes per game. In addition to six seasons in a Kings uniform (2000-05 & 2008-09), Jackson also played for the Denver Nuggets (1997-98), where he was named to the All-Rookie Second Team, Timberwolves (1998-2000), Memphis Grizzlies (2005-06), New Orleans/OKC Hornets (2006-08), and Houston Rockets (2008).
Herscu joins the Kings staff as an advance scout after spending the past three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers as an advance scout and player development assistant (2018-19), and assistant video coordinator (2016-18). Herscu brings 11 seasons of professional experience having worked in the NBA, NBA G League, and WNBA as an assistant coach or video coordinator.
Scott joins the Sacramento staff as the head video coordinator and player development coach after spending the past three seasons as the Los Angeles Lakers head video coordinator under Walton (2016-19). The Indiana alum was promoted with the Los Angeles Lakers NBA G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, in 2015-16 to assistant coach and video coordinator after assisting in the video room with Los Angeles and South Bay simultaneously during the 2011-12 season. During the summers of 2014 and 2015, Scott was the head video coordinator for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA where he developed scouting reports on opponents and was involved in daily coaching operations.