The wretched Toronto Raptors regular season had yet to end and already Glen Grunwald knew what characteristics he wanted in his next coach.

He wanted someone who would work hard, hold his players accountable, instill defensive pride and be able to excite fans turned off by the laid-back manner of Lenny Wilkens.

Some time this week, concluding an exhaustive search that included inquiries into about three dozen candidates, Grunwald will introduce Kevin O'Neill as the fifth coach in the franchise's eight-year history.

Grunwald will describe O'Neill's virtues as an almost perfect fit for the job description he first came up with, with the lone caveat being a lack of head-coaching experience in the NBA.

O'Neill, 46, edged out Seattle's Dwane Casey in the final interview process and just needs to be confirmed by the team's board of directors, sources tell the Star.