Jakus became a full-time coach and director for AIA afterwards and also began coaching the team Agape Bulgaria.[2][4] He also served as team chaplain with Agape Bulgaria.[5] He served with the team through 2009, and in 2010 became the head coach and assistant general manager of ABA Strumica in Macedonia.[4] He served in the position until 2011 and helped the team earn a promotion to the top division.[4] He continued working with AIA through 2014.[4]
Jakus returned to the U.S. in 2012 to care for his son, who was diagnosed with autism.[2] He accepted a coaching position that year as graduate assistant for the Baylor Bears, remaining in the role for two seasons.[6] He left the team following the 2013–14 season and became the director of basketball operations for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.[2][7] Jakus served three seasons at Gonzaga and helped them reach the national championship in 2017.[8][9] He returned to Baylor after the season to become an assistant coach.[10] He was an assistant coach at Baylor for seven seasons, assisting as they won the national championship in 2021 and won Big 12 Conference titles in 2021 and 2022.[11] Jakus was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2022-23 season.[12]
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
Conference regular season champion
Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
Division regular season champion
Division regular season and conference tournament champion
Conference tournament champion
Personal life
Jakus was born in Chicago, Illinois to John and Donna Jakus. He grew up in Johnsburg, Illinois and is the oldest of four children. John and his wife, Sara, have three children. John is a strong Christian, who started his basketball coaching career as a missionary.[4]
References
^ ab"John Jakus". coachesdatabase.com. Retrieved July 29, 2024.