S Torontovog foruma

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.

Kao prvo Ukić je talentiraniji i spremniji od Zokia, a Planinić igra solidnu minutažu u skladu sa svojim talentom. To nebi bilo loše iz više razlog. Prvo igraju igru koja paše Ukiću, spremni su ga pustit godinu dve da se razvije u europi u nekom jakom europskom klubu, a fala bogi ima zainteresiranih, treće Sunsi za razliko od Netsa imaju samo jednog playa, a Netsi četri. Daleko je bolje riješenje za back upa od Barbose i + mogao bi kadkad igrat u paru s Nashom.