do i remember wrong, or at one point was this guy projected as a lottery pick on nbadraft.net wayy back when? Also I feel a small reason he signed is the team he played for just signed brandon jennings who would probably take the keys to the team cause he is after all the #1 rated PG of the class of 2009
..hopefully roko can show us something, i'm lookin forward to it
do i remember wrong, or at one point was this guy projected as a lottery pick on nbadraft.net wayy back when? Also I feel a small reason he signed is the team he played for just signed brandon jennings who would probably take the keys to the team cause he is after all the #1 rated PG of the class of 2009
..hopefully roko can show us something, i'm lookin forward to it
He was expected to go in the 12-18 range in his draft, but he dropped like a stone come draft day because he had to pay his own buyout with his European Club, and most teams expected him to just stay over in Europe rather then coming to the NBA and paying the buyout with his money (since he'd make more money in Europe then on his rookie salary), hence why he slid to the Raptors at 41 and why it's been like 3-4 years before he's finally making it over to the NBA.
Ukic should be fine. He'll have a good mentor in Calderon for him to adjust to the NBA. As long as he can come off the bench when Calderon is tired and make some stops on d he should survive. His offensive game doesn't look too bad viewing some of his plays on youtube. I'd like to see him become another 3 point threat but some ball handling and passing are a must.
I don't know about making stops on D at the NBA level right now, but I think he'll be fine. He could emerge as an upper elechon backup PG.
I am concerned about Mitchell coaching him. I read a few articles that Mitchell used to blast Jose over and over...in games, in practice, swearing at him etc. Pretty brutal stuff. It worked with Jose, because that is his mentality obviously, but who knows if it will work with everyone. Although, is it possible Mitchell actually tailored his approach to what he felt would work with Jose...a la Phil Jackson.....nah...too much credit for the Smich.
I don't know about making stops on D at the NBA level right now, but I think he'll be fine. He could emerge as an upper elechon backup PG.
I am concerned about Mitchell coaching him. I read a few articles that Mitchell used to blast Jose over and over...in games, in practice, swearing at him etc. Pretty brutal stuff. It worked with Jose, because that is his mentality obviously, but who knows if it will work with everyone. Although, is it possible Mitchell actually tailored his approach to what he felt would work with Jose...a la Phil Jackson.....nah...too much credit for the Smich.
If there is one thing that is Sam Mitchell's strength is making his team's PG better. He had his run-ins with Rafer, but rafer played decently well under Sam Mitchell. Mike James had a career year under Sam Mitchell (whether it be because of contract of Sam, it was under sam's coaching). TJ Ford improved pretty much each year he was with Sam. and Sam brought up Jose Calderon. Sam has a pretty good track record when it comes to making his PGs produce...
If there is one thing that is Sam Mitchell's strength is making his team's PG better. He had his run-ins with Rafer, but rafer played decently well under Sam Mitchell. Mike James had a career year under Sam Mitchell (whether it be because of contract of Sam, it was under sam's coaching). TJ Ford improved pretty much each year he was with Sam. and Sam brought up Jose Calderon. Sam has a pretty good track record when it comes to making his PGs produce...
A lot of that has to do with the PG's having the freedom to do whatever they want but I agree with you. Sometimes it backfires when the PG is making bad decisions (Alston, James and Ford chucking and Calderon overdribbling) but Sam has had more of a positive than negative effect on the PG's.
In the end, it's about maximizing your possessions and I think under Sam, our PGs have done that much offensively. Defensively, it's a team effort and we haven't been good in that regard for a long while now, hopefully with JO, it gets better...
He'll be fine...saw him this morning against Canada...has a knack for finding the open man. A decent shooter...and has a nice fisrt step and plays the lanes decent enough..saw him with at least a steal and maybe teo or three deflections. He should get about 10-14 mins a game backing up Jose.
He'll be fine...saw him this morning against Canada...has a knack for finding the open man. A decent shooter...and has a nice fisrt step and plays the lanes decent enough..saw him with at least a steal and maybe teo or three deflections. He should get about 10-14 mins a game backing up Jose.
Yeah he didn't get much burn but he did show kind of why people sometimes make the Jason Williams kind of comparisions. He'll at least bring a change of pace when Calderon sits.
Ukic inked for 3 years
