<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Maybe this is the year Roko Ukic breaks out and shows the talent that leads many to think he'll be an NBA player some day.</p> Playing for a compatriot Croatian coach for Lottomatica Roma in the top division of Italian basketball, Ukic is trying to recreate the buzz that made him a second-round pick of the Raptors in 2005.</p> He's trying to forget two lost seasons in Europe, years where he could hardly get on the court, much less make any lasting impressions.</p> "I know the coach," Ukic said of Lottomatica's Jasmin Respera, who coached the 6-5 guard as a teenager in Croatia. "I like the situation now in the room, you know, and we will see how things will go."</p> So will the Raptors, starting this afternoon when they face the local team in their final Rome pre-season game.</p> President and general manager Bryan Colangelo said the 23-year-old remains a part of Toronto's future plans. The Raptors hold Ukic's NBA rights in perpetuity and will be following his progress closely this year.</p> "There is an awareness of him around the league," said Colangelo, admitting he's had at least one team call to enquire about obtaining him. "There is debate about a whether he's going to fit in the NBA.</p> "I still think his game is more suited for the NBA."</div></p> The Toronto Star</p>
9 assists against the Raps in preseason today, IIRC.</p> Every year that passes makes it less likely he will play for our squad, IMO, but it is good to hear that he is still very much on the radar.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (speeds)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> 9 assists against the Raps in preseason today, IIRC.</p> Every year that passes makes it less likely he will play for our squad, IMO, but it is good to hear that he is still very much on the radar.</p> </div></p> In my mind, he won't play for the Raptors, unless they think he will be better then Calderon. If they lock up Calderon, then no need for Ukic.</p> He is very skinny <span id="intelliTXT" name="intelliTxt">and has a slight build. It looks like he might never be able to put on a huge amount of muscle to his frame. Because of this lack of strength he gets pushed around and has trouble fighting through screens defensively, although his quickness helps him here to some degree. Even though he is strong, he just can't finish strong at the basket. </span></p> </p>
Is'nt he like 6'4 or 6'5? With that size he could play SG..anyways hopefully he'll finally be able to get some minutes with his new team as he was constantly being benched by his former club.</p>
6'5 185 pounds. Kind of small. He will be good on another team, but he won't be on our team. I don't think he will be any thing huge in the NBA, but you never know.</p>
If we are able to resign Calderon and keep our PG tandem I really believe it would be in our best interest to trade him for maybe a second round pick or another project player. I have heard so much buzz about him when he got drafted and really wanted to see him play but now that excitement has died down. Hey I just remembered something, some good has come out of drafting Roko...when Babcock drafted him he was hoping he could be our backup PG but when Roko signed an extension with his European club Babcock signed Calderon as a temporary solution and now look how great that worked out.</p>
There was some buzz about him, but we have 2 great PG's and I know Calderon will resign. We have the money to offer him, and we are winning. We have a great European influence and he gets playing time. He just needs to one day just forget about Ford and his feelings and play as hard as he can to win the starting spot. Calderon can start, but I think he knows TJ will get angry if he has to come off the bench.</p>
