Here are some interesting tidbits you may not know...
It's not really NEWs, its from the May Eurocamp, but it was news to me...
After not being given draft interest last year, this is how Roko reacted:
"I heard what the NBA people were saying to me," Ukic said. "I knew I needed to improve. I follow the draft very closely. I know all of the prospects. I saw what they did well and then tried to fix the areas of my game. This was a dream of mine since I was 4 years old. I thought with hard work I could be ready this year."
While most of last year's campers, including Martynas Andriuskevicius, Johan Petro, Marko Tomas and Yaroslav Korolev, skipped this year's Eurocamp, Ukic returned. To make a point.
"I wanted those same guys to see what I've done," Ukic said. "I wanted them to see how hard I worked. I was in the gym many hours working on my 3-point shot. I worked on keeping my turnovers down and I even lifted weights."
Questions about being skinny?
His weight was up more than 30 pounds, from 185 to 218. He even grew an inch, now measuring 6-foot-6 in shoes.
Review of his gameplay:
Ukic darted around the floor making brilliant no-look passes. His stronger body made him a better finisher in the lane. Last year, he kissed the ball off the glass. This year, he finished with several heart-thumping dunks. His 3-point shot looked smoother.
More confidence. More mature decision making. More to prove. More on the line.
Even more of a leader. After he bounced several amazing passes off his teammates' chests, Ukic spoke up in the huddle before his coach had a chance.
"Just be ready," Ukic implored his teammates, all All-Stars from the camp. "The pass is coming. Keep your hands ready. Don't worry about me. Just assume that it's coming."
What does the NBA think?
"He reminds me a lot of Ginobili," one NBA assistant GM said. "I'm not talking about position – he's a pure point guard – but in how he approaches the game. He's brilliant. He's always in attack mode. He's starting and stopping and changing directions. He's almost impossible to keep up with."
Where might he want to play?
Ukic already has a list of teams that he thinks he can help.
"I read everything about the NBA," Ukic said. "I think Toronto could use a point guard like me, don't you think? Boston has Delonte West, but I think because of my size, we could play together in the backcourt.
"And I'd love to play in Phoenix. I love the way they play. If I could back-up Steve Nash for 15 minutes a night and get to throw lobs to their bigs, I'd be so happy. I really want to go to a team that will let me push the ball up the floor."
Sign me up for Ukic at #16.
__________________
With the first pick in the 2010 draft, the ... select, Ricard Rubio of Spain.
Minstrel:There's no such thing as a "proven loser." Teams win and lose, not individuals.
there's only one worry i have wth ukic: he's had trouble getting by his man. in the quicker nba, this could be a big problem. his height compensates for it, but i will be an issue.
my PG rankings have pretty much always been #1 paul, #2 ukic.
i would trade up for paul. if that's not possible, i would look to either take ukic at 7 or, preferably, trade back for him. for example, -1- back to the 12th (clippers) for wilcox and the pick (we'd send aaron or murray). or another example: -2- back to the 13th (charlotte) for the pick we owe them--it'd be pretty hard for bick to pass on having the 5th and 7th and the options that opens.
with the clipps idea, we add an athletic rebounding big who can start at centre for us, the cats deal clears up gg's mess. both of them leave us with two decent selections 12/13+16
and once again... ukic and korolev ukic and korolev!
...just thought about something--
with phil signing back to the lakers, wouldn't ukic be that oversized pointguard that the triangle covets?
another thing- in the last few days, both jack and ukic have come out and mentioned toronto as a hoped for destination. they could simply be trying to improve their stock, but gotta say, i love it
I think that Jack will be a solid player inthe NBA, I think Roko will be a solid player as well, I also think that he has the potential to be special, I don't see that in Jack. The more I read on Ukic the more I like him, if he is there at 16 and we don't take him I will be upset. This guy could be the kind of player that we need, he seems to work hard in practice, and is always trying to improve on his game. A true sign of a real pro, no worries about him not coming to training camp in shape and ready to go.
Not that Jack would be a bad fit, I just like Roko!
Hey all the better. If the report is more truth than hype, then I would back the pick at 16.
Given the amount of scouting and the amount Rob has talked about Euros with Chuck, bracing fans for him drafting one IMO, this guy or Koroloev could be who he has in mind.
I know Jack, not Ukic, but if the report holds true, he sounds like a great prospect and could really fit with our favoured style of play.
I don't know how his D is like. If his attitude says anything he should get after it pretty well, but that is an assumption. Jack gets after it.
Quickness is over-analyzed when it comes to offense. It helps at the end of the shot clock to get a clean look, but that's about it.
If you can hit a jumpshot you can beat your man off the dribble. Its that simple. If a defender has to be up close on you the difference in quickness means nothing. Especially if they are running at you on rotations. Defenders have to respond to your pump fake, and also to your jab step, which puts them off balance and lets you get by them easily. Plus you can use screens and handoffs and change of speed to bother your defender.
Its almost impossible to guard ANY player 1 on 1 at the nba level. The only way it becomes easy is if you can back off and just let them shoot J's. That is the knock on PGs like Milt, Omar Cook, Mateen Cleaves, and why TJ Ford was a bit of a risk despite great quicks.
Rafer is one of the quicker guards around but he always seems to get forced into tough positions on baseline drives. I think instincts and intelligence are at least as important as quickness.
Trading down makes some sense to me, especially if we can land a player like Wilcox or get our pick back. I talked about the 7 for Denvers 20 and 22 before and still like that idea although trading Denvers 2006 pick back to them for 22, or trading it to Memphis for 19 also sounds good.
that's an interesting report. of course, you get the ginobili references- pretty much any white euro guard is being thrown into manu's pool at the moment- but he sounds like a leader, still.
i'd love to get one of the top 5 point men- especially if it's not ray. and to then keep our second first rounder (be it 7 or 16)? bonus.
i gotta say, we're pretty lucky to have two picks in this draft- especially considering what our current roster resembles.
If we don't go with a point guard at 7, he should be one of the first options at 16 definetly. He has received a lot of hype lately and I like what I'm hearing about his work ethic.
Looks like your regular run of the mill puff up piece before the draft.
Don't get me wrong, I like what I've seen of Roko-Leni, but I dunno what to take away from reading this. Anyone can write up a report slated on how good a prospect is etc.
He'd be amongst a group of prospects I hope Babcock considers for the 16th pick.
__________________ Tim Duncan: "People should stop talking about Bosh as a future force. He's already a force, right here and now."
"I don't really look at guys and memorize players, but (Bosh) is very impressive. He can shoot, he has an inside game, physical at times, he's pretty good...he's more than holding his own." - Shaq
"I really like him...to me he's already pretty special," Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki said after continually getting beat to the basket by Bosh. "He's going to be a great player in this league."
"Chris Bosh really has emerged to be a star in this league. There are more than the top three (in the 2003 draft)." - Dwyane Wade
I love everything about him, I love his game, I love his work ethic. He definitely has my approval - Kobe Bryant"
Ukic worked out in Buffalo for our guys yesterday, I wonder when the report will be up on Raptors.com ( it's not yet!) The turkish SF Ilyasova was also there.
Also - Juan Mendez must be gettig serious consideration for a 2nd round pick or at least a camp invite, as he worked out yesterday, for the second time.
PG Turner Battle from U of Buffalo has also worked out twice. He was Hon. mention All American, as will as an All American acedemic
Key Stats
15.5 PPG 4.6 RPG 4.4 APG 46.5 FG% http://mac-sports.collegesports.com/...032305aaa.html
He isn't on the draft pages though
Insider Report on Roko Ukic
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