The 2005 NBA draft had already established a reputation as a draft that produced the next generation of great point guards. New Orleans’ Chris Paul and Utah’s Deron Williams highlighted a talented group of floor generals that also included fellow first round picks Raymond Felton (Charlotte) Jarrett Jack (Portland), and Nate Robinson (New York).

Also selected on that day, albeit with much less fanfare than some of his contemporaries, was Croatia’s Roko Leni Ukic, a second-round pick (No. 41 overall) by the Toronto Raptors.

However, rather than heading north and suiting up in Toronto, the 6ft 5ins point guard returned home to fulfill his contract with TAU Ceramica Vitoria of the Spanish League. It made sense for Ukic to return to Europe, knowing that he’d ride the pine as the third point guard (behind Mike James and Jose Calderon) with the Raptors as opposed to earning starter’s minutes as a member of TAU Ceramica. He also knew that Toronto and the NBA would once again beckon, and he knew that he’d be ready to answer the call.

'Ukic will be entering the NBA as, by and large, an unknown quantity, raved about abroad but as-of-yet unseen on the continent which he will soon call home'


Now, two and a half years and two European teams later, the Croatian sensation is gearing up to make his mark in North America. On January 11, he was freed from his contract with Italian team Lottomatica Roma to join the Raptors next season, hoping to add yet another foreign talent to the NBA’s version of the United Nations.

Ukic will be entering the NBA as, by and large, an unknown quantity, raved about abroad but as-of-yet unseen on the continent which he will soon call home. Once he does arrive, basketball fans in Toronto and throughout the rest of the league are likely to see a young man whose skilled ball-handling is only made more surprising by his large frame.

Though his size will tempt opposing coaches into guarding him with their shooting guard, his body control, fluid movement, and sneaky speed will cause headaches and lead to double teams. For a player with strong passing ability and tremendous cool under pressure, this situation could lead to finding the open man more often than not. While Ukic’s first instinct is to pass, he will make opponents pay if they leave him open with his rapidly improving jump shot. Unfortunately for them, he is also fearless when it comes to penetrating if the opportunity should present itself.

On the other side of the ball, the 23-year-old boasts an imposing wingspan that enables him to block shots and create turnovers. He would offer the Raptors a strong shutdown defender to guard against some of the league’s premier point guards and shooting guards.

This is not to say that Ukic doesn’t have some work to do as he embarks upon an NBA career. He has yet to become acclimatised to the stronger, faster, tougher North American game, and his slender figure could certainly use some additional bulk before he comes over. But with the skill he possesses on the court, NBA stardom may well be within his considerable grasp.

So before anointing Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, or any other NCAA hype machine as the 2008-09 Rookie of the Year-to-be, don’t forget about the latest European import who could be primed to bring some more international flavour to the Toronto Raptors next season.