Uros SLOKAR
#4 | Center

In 2006, “Sloki” became the seventh Slovenian player to ever play in the NBA, after Marko Milic, Radoslav Nesterovic, Sasha Vujacic, Primoz Brezec, Beno Udrih and Bostjan Nachbar.

Did he really deserve that honour?

He only got to play 80 minutes for the Toronto Raptors during the whole 2006-07 season (1.9 points and 0.1 rebounds). Maybe he got caught in the hype of Benetton Treviso’s team-mate Andrea Bargnani and scouts fantasized about this other tall European player with great shootings skills?

Slokar is really a versatile big man but he is said to be really shy - a mentality that does not quite fit for the NBA.

So he came back to Europe and since then has enjoyed a great career in Italy. He is now playing for Euroleague powerhouse Siena.

This year, his role with the National Team is going to be really important with Smodis and Erazem Lorbek not with the selection in Turkey.

He is going to have to be a presence inside for Slovenia - especially on the boards.