Toni Kukoc - The Croatian Sensation

Toni Kukoč (IPA: [ˈkʊkɔtʃ]) (born February 29, 1968 in Split, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a retired Croatian basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with equal prowess and demonstrated court vision that is seldom found in players of his height. Kukoč is one of the first established European stars to play in North America's National Basketball Association (NBA).

Having been drafted by the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1990, he continued to play in Europe, until finally reporting to the Bulls in 1993, when the team had just finished its first three-peat and had lost Michael Jordan to retirement.

The 6'11" (2.11 m) Kukoč came off the bench in 1993-94 behind small forward Scottie Pippen and power forward Horace Grant, though Kukoč could play shooting guard and center as well. Kukoč put up a solid rookie campaign, averaging double-digit scoring and earning a berth on the All-Rookie Second Team. After Grant left in the offseason, Kukoč moved into the starting lineup and finished the 1994-95 season second on the Bulls in scoring, rebounds and assists behind Pippen.

Toni was third on the team in scoring (behind Jordan and Pippen) and was rewarded for his efforts with the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He also assisted the Bulls to a 25-game turnaround and the best record in league history at 72--10, as well as the fourth championship in team history.

In 1997 and 1998, Kukoč again came off the bench as sixth man as the Bulls won their fifth and sixth NBA titles. Once again, he was the team's third-leading scorer.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• basketball

[karpathos7]

Kokuc is a legend in world basketball!!!

Turloglou isint that great there better european players such as papaloukas greece Navaro spain reyes spain

[bosios083]

Toni Kukoc > Hedo Turkoglu.

[ZadreGradeNajlipsiSi]

@SonicXisnow2009

Michael Jordan said it right...this question whos the greatest player of all time can't be answered...it should be what TEAM is the greatest of all time? These guys are all great, and saying that one is better than the other is just unethical.

[cukura]

Pink Panther!

[SonicXisnow2009]

Dirk is the best Euro player in the NBA today, and probably the best Euro NBAer ever. No arguing that Kukoc was a great player and one of the best swingmen in the NBA, though. Petrovic was amazing, but had his career cut far too short, like Magic Johnson.

[zvezdas8899]

@Dicvi95 marko sta seres bre :D

[WeaselVideos]

legenda

pozz iz srbije

[peboguxX]

1:17 Eurostep!!

[BB0ysGam3s]

one of the best centers players for sure...

[papaparanoya]

Sorry everyone for the long posts, I was just explaining to a ex-compatriot from neighbouring Croatia why the Yugoslavia and its basketball were as successful as they were, and why it will never again be so. FYI, I believe our strength lay in the incredible teamwork. If you look at some really tall players like Kukoc, Divac, Paspalj, even Bodiroga who was a guard (yes, not all the best play in the NBA), their passing ability was just amazing. Also, team defence was paramount (similar to Celtics)

[papaparanoya]

...smo mi Srbi osudjeni na takav mazohizam, evo i ja mislim da smo ovako razjedinjeni mnogo slabiji, i SIROMASNIJI nego u SFRJ, i to na geostrateski uzasno vaznom mestu (kazu zavadi pa vladaj...), ali iskreno ne znam da li ce u nasem narodu i za 500 godina biti volje da ponovo pokusamo nesto zajedno, jer smo se previse puta "opekli". Inace mom najboljem drugu je majka iz Trogira, pa sad ne znam, jel treba da ga "pola mrzim", ili kako, sta su pravila? Totalne gluposti. Citaj knjige, zajebi tv...

[papaparanoya]

...za zajednistvo "naroda i narodnosti", i uzeli da pravimo SFRJ, cime ste vi cisto usput izbegli placanje ogromne ratne stete, kao sto su morale ostale zemlje na strani Nacista (u Hr i danas ima gomila ljudi koji se identifikuju sa ustasama a kamo li tada - pogledaj snimke odusevljenih ljudi kako docekuju Hitlera u Zagrebu). I eto nakon svega toga Divac baca zastavu separatista unutar SFRJ, a neki srpski klinac od 15 godina ti se javlja na youtubeu sa porukama o zajednistvu i pomirenju. Izgleda