The Raptors have signed guard Roko Ukic, the club’s second-round draft pick (41st overall) in 2005, to a three-year contract.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Ukic played in Italy last season with Lottomatica Virtus Roma. He averaged career highs of 11.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 19 Euroleague contests. He shot 55% from the field and 82% from the free throw line.

Ukic is expected to back up Jose Calderon at the point guard position in Toronto.

- Toronto Sun

Roko. Roko. ROKO.

He’s coming, three-year deal, the number I heard was $1.25 million in the first year.

It will be interesting to watch him tomorrow morning against Canada. But, remember, this is Canada he’s playing, not the Celtics. Or the Cavs. Or some, you know, good team.

- Toronto Star

“It might take more mining to come up with something unique, but Oklahoma City is a very unique place,” Fugleberg said. “Geography is important. It’s important that they try not to think of a name that’s necessarily going to be popular in the NBA but popular in their city.”

That’s precisely what the Toronto Raptors did, said Dan Rascher, president of Oakland, Calif.-based SportsEconomics, a sports economics, finance and marketing research firm.

The Raptors, who began as an expansion team in 1995, were named in 1994, one year after the release of the hit movie “Jurassic Park.”

“Dinosaurs were more popular 15 years ago,” Rascher said. “But you look down the road 10 or 20 years later and it’s not so exciting.”

- NewsOK

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