TORONTO, June 29 (UPI) -- The Toronto Raptors announced Tuesday they had hired Sam Mitchell as their new coach.
Mitchell had been the top assistant for the expansion Charlotte Bobcats.
Mitchell played 10 seasons with Minnesota and is the franchise's second-leading scorer. Rob Babcock, the Raptors' newly-hired general manager, served 12 years in the Timberwolves' front office.
"Sam was one of the hardest-working players in the NBA and he had that same ethic as an assistant coach," Babcock said.
Mitchell, 40, was an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks for the last two years and recently was hired as the top assistant under Bernie Bickerstaff with the Bobcats.
Mitchell replaces Kevin O'Neill, who posted a 33-49 record in his only season as Raptors coach.
