Kukoc was a big part of that bulls team success. Dude doesn't get credit at all from mainstream media but anybody who watched 90s basketball knows how special of a player Kukoc was.
It's hard not to be overlooked on a team with the greatest player ever, the greatest rebounder over and the greatest supporting teammate ever. Toni would have gotten more respect if he didn't play with the Bulls, being a first scoring option. He would have been an All-star level player. But he was probably the 4th best player on those Bulls championship teams.
Bulls and knicks rivalry in the 90s were epic!! I hated the Knicks so bad growing up I didn’t watch no spike lee movies 😅 but as adult now.. I appreciate those games and what a rivalry. Respect from this Bulls fan 💪🏽💯
I ain’t ashamed to say it but I love Toni Kukoc. He was the man in Europe and was able to put his ego aside and come off the bench for the Bulls during their 96-98 three-peat. He could pass like no one else, had an underrated post game and could hit the three. Dude could ball and I don’t think the Bulls win all those championships without him.
Thank you I agree with you 100% his passing abilities was something to watch he's a good playmaker shit happens when he's on the court,THANK'S COMMENT FROM CHICAGO...
@@picadie8971 true that. I knew a guy who played college from Bosnia who played college basketball in New York. He was getting carjacked one day and didn’t blink even when they shot in the car. He told me later “I am running from snipers since I am seven years old.” They actually got real polite and didn’t take his rental car.
@@pmaigotthat7211 I hear you. I really happy for the success that Toni had in the NBA! I have zero ties to Eastern Europe other than friends I grew up with. But for some reason in all my history and international relations classes, from junior high to college, I always got randomly assigned to research and write about conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. It was really hard to read about. Basketball has always been my escape from real life. Happy for his success.
And Toni is finally in HoF! Shame he waited so long, dunno why, wasnt fair....but he deffo deserved it! Congratulations our Pink Panther! Greetings from Split
They would have to admit that the Bulls and Jordan specifically royally messed up in Indiana series. Everything was going in for Kukoc and was not given the deciding shot. Jordan got it and it was the off night offensively for MJ. Oh well, at least we got a great Game 7 because of it :D
@@Sanderus Remember Jordan decided what was in the last dance and what wasn't and the miss shot was in the last dance. I give him credit for that. Indiana miss an opportunity.
Totally agree, and that would be an incredible story. From being hated by the two best players on the team to being such an important part of the 3peat Bulls
@@tomholfield8781 If it was solely based on Kukoc NBA career, I'd agree. But the Hall of Fame for basketball isn't only for NBA accomplishments. It's for Basketball. Kukoc is arguably the most accomplished European Basketball Player. And he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame for that. Along with his accomplishments in the NBA.
@@kenwright233391 i completely understand what you're saying. How many hall of famers are in the HOF that didn't play in the nba? Ive not kept up with basketball in many years.
Tony was a prototype for what you see a lot in the NBA today, and I agree with Charles Barkley that he (and the Bulls) would be devastating in today's NBA. He absolutely deserves the HoF. He provided stretch that allowed MJ and Scotty a lot of freedom they wouldn't have had with a more average player in that spot.
@@brentmonkhouse6638 Massimiliano seems Italian guy. Before NBA career Toni was in Italy playing for Benetton Treviso. In that period he won Mister Europa award, an European Player of the Year Award. Three in a row! No one did it before or after him. Simply, a great player!
Extremely underrated guy. Humble, cool, down to earth, never selfish ego player, mental strength on max, the greatest european basketball player, amazing athlete, amazing skills, high iq, great vision, a true killer... when i see who is in HoF already and he's not - makes me really sad! and in The Last Dance they should have made an episode about him... they barely mentioned him and his contribution (basically stuff how jordan and pippen wanted to show "their point" to jerry), and instead of him they put Kerr on that poster (nothing against him, i like him and his work). All in all - it's really not fair. The things what he had done in Europe is just a big wow! Many ppl from USA dont even know that and never seen his days in Europe.
This cat SHOULD HAVE BEEN in the HOF years ago! 6'10/11 ball handler and playmaker and 3 level scorer who was an MVP and won multiple championships in Europe before becoming a 3 time NBA champ... GIVE THIS MAN HIS DUE!! side note.... I met him back in '01 when he played for the ATL Hawks...cool as ice, talked to me for like 10 mins before taking off in his Jeep.... I ended catching a cold from him though 😑
Video doesn’t mention that the bulls asked Toni when he came over to gain like 30 pounds, because they were thin on PF and he did it, lost a bit of quickness because of it, i don’t see any players in today’s game, or even back then willing to do that and sacrificing. Toni did the Giannis euro step first but the refs would call it travel and wouldn’t let him do it for first couple years, and after that, they still restricted it, so he couldn’t get too fancy and sometimes it depended on the ref. Toni was born 25-30 years too early, if he came over now, top 10, maybe top 5 player in the league with his skills set and how the game is called and played right now
Yeah, absolutely right!!! And there is a confession about this somewhere in RU-vid about how he was mistreated from Phil Jackson himself..because the time they called him to USA and started gaining pounds and muscles, MJ hadn’t yet announced his retirement so there was no room for Toni in the guards and small forward positions, and that’s why they wanted to turn him to power forward. That cost him the first years in his European style of playing, especially in flexibility.. Tony was a team player and had the guts and humidity to come from the bench following MJ and Scottie, and be the game changer in lots of games including playoff games.. Players with better basics in basketball than kukoc were only a few in that period in the NBA
Before he gained weight in NBA he could dunk from free throw line...there is footage on RU-vid...he and Durant have same level of game, with only difference that Durant is a superstar
Yep, Toni was flying around back in his Jugoplastika days. He played what is now called a point forward. Super skilled with his handles, always a pass first mindset, can penetrate and shoot as well. But the game was different back then, with more dominant bigs, so I guess the team asked him to add some pouds and he was still effective!
@@MistaWordz look at what Luka is doing and he isn’t as big or athletic as Toni was. Toni just happened to land on a team with the greatest scorer since wilt.
@@dwigg7700 I know, but I don't think Toni was as smart as Luka is. He ain't uber athletic, but he practically plays chess to figure out his defender's moves so he can counter.
"How good was Toni Kukoc?" Well he was good enough to get game deciding plays drawn for him over Scottie Pippen! That's how good The Croatian Sensation was!
The Waiter was a Hell of a Hooper His skill set was off the chain and if he cam into the league on another Team he would have been the Man he took and hit clutch shots in the regular season and in the playoffs and Finals salute to the The waiter put him in this modern NBA he would one of the Top Players
Basketball poet. Beauty of his game surpasses era of his existence. Ignoring importance of his name in changing the world and game is not just underrated, it's insulting for brain of everybody who knows this game.
@@RoDiggityDangit79 He was good. 11 4 and 3 in his NBA career. Below average defender but he was a good passer and hit some big shots. He was a Superstar before he entered the league in 93.
Amazing player, underrated. If he was in another tim, for shure he would be a lider and one of top scorers in NBA. Awesom sharp shooter. Player ahead of the time. Pink Panter 💜
Toni was very good, if he played for some other team that used him as first or second option he would probably have better numbers but no 3 championships. His only problem was he wasn't interested in being the number one option and carrying the team by himself, he was never an aggressive player. Another problem, he was often tasked to guard the powerforwards and he didn't have the aggressive mindset or the physique to take those defensive assignments so Phil would take him out of the game. In today's NBA where the game is less physical he would probably be a star and play more.
Don't forget that after winning the 3 rings with the Bulls, the only title he was missing was Olympic gold, he only had silver. Besides that he had won all the possible titles in Europe and plenty awards in the NBA.
That‘s what makes the case for him being in the hof...already an achieved/established superstar in eu and put a great nba career on top! Besides he was the prototype of a modern point forward and would easily fit in today’s game!
You got it wrong about his mindset, the guy carried Jugoplastika to conquer 3 Euroleagues in a row... the problem wasn't him, it was that he wasn't a 2-way player like MJ and Pippen and coaches back then didn't like that. Petrovic had the same problem being a scorer. He had to move from Portland because of his lack of defensive attitude... but when he started to explode in the Nets he was one of the better offensive players in the league. Also, you have to consider that Kukoc was not a SF or a PF, he was forced to play like that in the NBA. In Europe he was a point guard, but Phil Jackson didn't have the guts to make him play like that, so he chose Ron Harper instead, who was a better overall player, but didn't have the IQ and fundamentals of Kukoc. I understand that it was a risk trying that with a 6'10 guy, but it was the ideal role for Kukoc. He was Doncic before Doncic, probably a better, purer PG, Jackson didn't try him as a PG probably because he'd be obliged to sacrifice Pippen offensive tasks to cover Kukoc weaknesses on the deffensive end
@@JulioLeonFandinho I knew him personally and Dino Radja. Toni was probably one of the most talented basketball players ever but when he got in NBA and got paid he didn't cared that much anymore. He was pleased with role of sixth man and money that came with it. I always tried to imagine what kind of player he would be if he had bit of Petrovic mentality. People keep downgrading him as 4th best player on bulls and whatnot, but in all honesty he was better offensive player than Pippen and its hard to imagine bulls being that dominant without him and the question is would they win those titles. I bet reason why he is not in hof is because of narrative. Right now MJ won those titles with 2 more hof players, it sound better for his case than if it was 3 hof players. Don't get me wrong, MJ is G.O.A.T. regardless of that, but i think that's the reason why Toni is not in hall of fame. I agree with you with everything else except his mindset. Yea in Europe he was proving that he was best player but in NBA it was about money and doing his job. I can only imagine him in today's league, specially if he had that desire he played with in EU. He would be force in the league. Guy could score from anywhere on court, could post up, had insane IQ and vision, passing, handling and was clutch as you can be. I love Doncic, for sure one of the players I enjoy watching most, but I would pick prime Toni over him.
@@antemercep8844 Radja is already in the HoF, why not Kukoc? do you understand that mistery? I mean, Radja is one of my favourite europeans ever, I was a Barça fan back in the 90s and it was painful losing 2 years in a row against Jugoplastika, and Radja was a nightmare... but come on, why isn't Kukoc a hall of famer, I just don't get it
Toni was one of those "elite" role-players who could explode for 30 points any given game, forcing teams worry about him and not over-focus on Michael or Scottie... One of the very few "stretch 4s" during that period. Chicago doesn't win a few championships without him (especially 98) ZERO DOUBT.
Absolutely right. Toni would burn you if you gave him any space and he definitely would catch fire from time to time. People forget how big he was too, 6’10” and as fast as he was, as smooth as he was. He was definitely a rarity at that time.
I wouldn’t call him a role player, but yes he was elite and was the 3rd scoring option on the bulls. Role players would be more of a Kerr, Brown and Buechler. Tony only came from the bench because they would start Longley as center. And actually played more minutes than him pg. When the game is on the line you don’t have role players on the court and you know he always finished the game.
@@iFanchi I'd like to agree with you, but I don't think Toni's defense was quite good enough to put him beyond the "elite role player" status. Hence why he wasn't a starter or all-star... Regardless, he was ENORMOUSLY important to those Bulls teams, giving them the legit 3rd scoring option they needed.
@@KrimsonKracker he wasn’t a starter because he was in the Bulls with MJ. The year MJ was playing baseball, he was a starter. And he would be a starter on any other team. He was not an elite defender. But he was more than a role player. Playing 30 minutes a game is not being a role player.
@@iFanchi I'd call ANYONE who never made an all-star team a role player. Toni was clearly among the best players of those players of course. Hence, why I consider him an "elite" role player. Just a semantic argument at this point.
There was a game in the 72 win season where the Bulls were just blowing out the Hawks in Atlanta. And in the second half Phil rested Michael and somewhat Scottie and Toni just took over. Running the break, scoring, shooting, stealing just doing it all. The Bulls never looked more impressive or entertaining than in that game. A true pasting of Atlanta. Such a great game for Toni. Classy and clutch. I heard a while back Toni say he still likes to go golfing and gamble with Michael. Terrific player and a terrific guy.
They left this out of the Last Dance but the Bulls won game 7 of the 1998 Eastern Conference finals was because of the huge 3rd quarter that Toni Kukoc had in that game. Without Kukoc the Bulls don’t win that game and Jordan doesn’t get his 6th championship.
@@erics9487 it’s not speculation, that’s what happened. Indiana held MJ to his lowest point total of the series in game 7. Toni stepped up and the Bulls won.
@@Hazztech I think the biggest reason MJ was upset at Krause was because MJ wanted Krause to go after Sam Perkins when he was a free agent. Instead Krause went to Europe and got Kukoc. So MJ saw that Kukoc was responsible for his college buddy not being signed by the Bulls.
Lot of respect. Love your videos Shawn..tony was my favourite player in Europe before his nba career.. some things are not mentioned but again it’s a nice video for an underrated player. For instance the statement from Phil Jackson himself that they mistreated him and didn’t give him enough space. Also that when he first came from Europe (not knowing yet about MJ ‘s retirement) they made him gain pound and muscles to make him a power forward, something that cost him in flexibility..and many more incredible stories from games where he had some magical moments and appearances, lots of them in playoff games. Personal favourite moments from nba career: 1.the three pointer on shaq in a game that the opponents had closed on MJ and Scottie the whole game and Toni hold the bulls in the game till the end when MJ got started. 2. The “in your face” three pointer on pj brown and the Miami heat. 3. The 2 clutch moments referred in the video with the knicks and the pacers. 4. the finals against Seattle where he took over in one or two games. another underrated international nba player that you must make a video pls, is sarunas marculionis, whom MJ always wanted to avoid guarding (his words)
I am not trying to compare Kukoc to Ginobili, but they just played similar roles - weapon off the bench (sometimes start), win the Sixth Man of the Year as the only two foreign trained international players to win the award, and leave several clutch shot/play legacies. One may consider the Big Three of the Bulls dynasty to be Rodman-Pippen-Jordan, but it was sometimes Kukoc-Pippen-Jordan. He was the shooter/sixth-man that the Bulls needed in their second three-peat.
Ya me suscribí a tu canal Bro, soy un basketball player de toda la vida, seguidor de los Gloriosos Celtics y fanático del mejor basket del mundo, saludos desde León, México y fan de Jugoplastika y del basket Azteca
Was lucky enough to watch him from start. Croatia, land of 4 mil. ppl we had Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoć, Dino Rađa . . . etc and for most Dražen is no. 1 because he was pure shooter and work maniac but for me Toni was one. Could play any positiom,,had 11/11 3pt. in one game but he would always rather assist then score. Cold as ice when game is on the line
I agree with you! In your edit, you cut off the buzzer shot before the 8 minute mark where he won it for the Bulls against the Pacers. It just cuts to the Olympic interviews.
They only talk about the first game croatia vs dream team...the final, he shot the lights out...funny how media can draw a story which doesn’t reflect the full truth
I would call him the first skilled big man in the NBA.....I had never seen anyone quite like him..... And now the NBA seems to be full of them... A DEFINITE TRAILBLAZER AND A DEFINITE HALL OF FAMER.
He was listed 6'11", only guy with similar skill set today is KD. The others are DeAndre Jordan,Mason Plumlee,Sabonis, Turner,Olynik,Giannis,KAT,Steven Adams,Vucevic,Ayton. The guy played guard in Europe, not second on PF position till NBA.
@@mariopavicin3193 you're missing my point.... He is responsible -almost solely- for bringing that particular archetype to the nba........ We had never seen it before. We didn't even know it was possible. Now the league is filled with them....
@@martinmackye9865 not missing a point imo, i just listed the 6'11" players in NBA and only one that can match him is KD. Your statement was: league is full of them, I can't agreed with that. He was unique like KD is today. But I can see what you are talking and you are right on that. Ideal PF of the time was Malone, Oakley,Kemp...
Toni Kukoc definitely should be in the US Basketball Hall of Fame. Other people below have mentioned Vlade Divac and Dino Raja, but Drazan Petrovic and Arvydas Sabonis also are members, largely for their non-NBA contributions. As great as Sabonis was, Toni's achievement in both Europe and the U.S. compare favorably. And Dino Raja isn't even a member of FIBA's Hall of Fame. Toni's international contributions alone outshine those of Raja's, as do his contributions to the Bulls, especially during the absence of Jordan and the second 3-peat. For some real fun, check out the late December 1996 Bulls-Lakers game where Jordan, Pippin and Kukoc EACH went off for 30 points in a huge come from behind win. Toni was 🔥 in the second half, looking like Steph Curry before Steph Curry!
As a high schooler I modelled my game after kukoc. In 6 foot 6 so learning to do things like shoot from anywhere and drive to the basket made me more than what people who were guarding were used to at my position. Thank you Toni
Saw him in Italy, when playing in Treviso. Far ahead for those times, a period when Jugoslavia was a forge of talents. Still remember his one hand slam dunk.
Don't forget first season Tony had to play even against his teammates,because Michael and Pipen didn't like him at all at the beginning,after he grow on them and they started more and more to appreciate him..
True..there is a video from his yugoplastika (his team in Croatia with which he gained the 3peat in European champion) years where he does that (but in European basketball court with different dimension from nba I think)
I grew up watching this amazing player and when he was in Europe he was in my opinion one of the most talented players with petrovic, galis and sabonis from Europe, everybody was talking about him, he was very underrated in bulls and back in that era European players didn't have the chance to show their skills, not many European players could get to the NBA at that time
He was a fantastic player for what it’s worth I totally 4got that Elise Neal was in on many of the Iceman’s commercials back in the day....just notice Tony was phenomenal 👍🏽
I love how Reggie Miller looked like an absolute fool in Chicago...the man done bowed and everything only to 8/10 of a second later get that a.. whooped. I completely forgot this...but now Miller and them Pacers were good and did give da Bulls some runs. But when you just that good...youngins dont know...competition was steep in the days.
He was god in Yugoslavia - World FIBA champion 1990 and Euro champion 89' and 91' . With YUGOPLASTIC he won three FIBA Euro championships . When MJ saw his skills he said to Pippen - " He plays lika brother ".
Great video, but just to add few things...1. Yes, he playied awful in first Olympic game against US but imagine how it was simply to see your idols for the first time. Pretty much everyone was scared in that game except Dino Rađa and of course Dražen Petrović. But in finals against US he had 16p, 9a and 5r and got standing ovations from crowd. Of course that was not mentioned in documentary same as they cutted what Stockton said about Petrović...that every player from every team was afraid of them and surrendered before game except Dražen Petrović. 2. Toni played against many NBA players that became All Stars of super stars on Junior World Championship and was destroying most of them. Still holds a record with 10 threes shooting 10/11 from three and was guarded by Payton if I'am not mistaken. 3. Before he came to NBA he also playied against Bucks and Knicks on Mcdonald's tour for Jugoplastika, or Pop 84(same team) and they almost beat them playing with only young guys from his country. He was not afraid and playied amazing and US comentators was so amazed that they called him White Magic at that time cause he did it all...points, assist, rebounds. 4. Bulls add a looot of weight on his body which slowed him down, but simply at that point European players was not respected and only few of them playied in NBA. And he got in the best team in the league so that wasn't easy. Jordan was actually out playing baseball and in his second season Kukoc was avereging 18p, 6r and 5a...and that's no joke especially back than as european player and in 90's. His numbers droped when Jordan came back last 22 games and he finished season with 15.7p, 5.4r, 4.6a which is also great and show 2 things...imagine if MJ didn't come back...his stats in only second season would be amazing and would probably rise next season and next season ect. It also showes that yeah...Jordan was Alpha and the man and objectivly...Kukoć was to intiminated by him which is his own fault. Don't get me wrong...i can't imagine biggest MJ fan than my self so i'am so lucky he came back :) But playing with GOAT and Pippen...you simply have to except being third option. But i saw a lot of games and he sometimes simply didn't push it all the way and the way he actually could like he showed he is able in that second season before Jordan came back so I'am sure we never saw his real potential or game which he would maybe show on weaker team. But that part was also on Toni. He was still amazing player and super talented and coulf defenitely do pretty much everything in offence and yeah...he was clutch. I loved watching him and those Bulls. Just wanted to add some info and stats that wasn't mentioned in video but tnx for it and props for another great video
Toni...ah..realy fits that short name Toni the panther😉👍😊🏅🙌 Maybe Am wrong...but when you mentione Toni and NBA Probably we all know ..the guy we are talking about 😁
