Roko Ukic Thinks NBA Players Don't Respect White Point Guards

During our NBA Most Likely series, I talked about how European guard Sasha Vujacic's lack of respect around the NBA causes him to get in a lot of confrontations.

Some have hypothesized that it is Sasha's pretty boy Euro look that causes him to be disrespected by some of the players throughout the league. Well, Sasha might have another European guard joining his club of disrespect.

Raptors rookie Roko Ukic is already feeling disrespected. After his first NBA game, he's already become well aware what most NBA players think of young European guards.Globe and Mail reporter Michael Grange gives us the scoop:

Roko Ukic has one NBA game under his belt, but he's already aware of what the rest of the league thinks about him.

He likely got his first hint in the preseason, when opposing guards tried to stick their noses in his chest to see if he could beat them off the dribble. He saw it on Wednesday night in Philadelphia - the first time he touched the ball in an NBA game, the 76ers put up a wall of full-court pressure.

"I was expecting [the pressure on the ball]," said Ukic, after helping the Raptors win their opener in Philadelphia. "I'm aware that everyone looks at me as a white, rookie point guard, but it's okay. That's my reality and something I will have to go through. It's normal, people will try to steal the ball from me."

If I were Roko, I would be happy by this disrespect. Seriously, I've seen Slovenian guards Sasha Vujacic and Beno Udrih embarrass folks around the league because of the lack of respect they receive. Both of them probably earned some of that disrespect based on the way they first played when they entered the league, yet both of them have been able to become really solid contributors to their team.

Ukic should play up the whiteness factor. Although I'm not white, I sort of do the same thing when I play pick up basketball. I tuck my shirt in, wear normal fitting shorts, and make myself look as un-intimidating as possible. People immediately think they can ball me up because I don't look the part of a baller. Then they get mad when I burn them.

It also worked for Woody Harrelson in White Men Can't Jump. That movie was all about a guy using an goofy facade to hustle his through the predominantly black outdoor pick up scene in Los Angeles.

And in the NBA, it's worked for Sasha Vujacic. I mean that hair net thing he has going on has brought him a lot of disrespect. But it also has put him in a position to take advantage of it. So Roko, learn to utilize the disrespect to your advantage.