As Toni's remarkable careerseemingly comesto a close--currently riding pine with Bucks-thought I should say a few things. One of my favorite players Kukoc was an elegant and fluid player. An excellent athlete and nicknamed the waiter Kukoc first gained noteriety as an international star playing with the likes of Divac etc.. Then ethnic strife hit and things were never the same. Still Toni finally ended up with the Bulls after a 1992 olympic experience that found future teammates Pippen and Jordan doing thier damnest to stop Toni.
His NBA career ultimately fell short of expectations--there was a time he was expected to be the next Bird or Magic. Still he has had an exemplary NBA career. He was a key cog in the Bulls championship run and his terrific all court game was a delight to watch. Beautiful movement.An unselfish player.The best passer I have seen at his height--Bird was 6'9 Toni around 6'10 or so--unlike many players today Toni was a lithe well porportioned player, not a muscle bound freak who specializes in tomahawk dunks ie Stoudamire of the Suns who seems lost without Steve Nash to bail him out.
Toni had a lot going against him--the war in his homeland--the constant nagging fromPhil Jackson using him as a scapegoat and of course jealousy over Euro players. Pippen infamously had a fit when the last shot of a key playoff game was set up for Toni instead of him. Indeed Toni performed admirably after Jordan's initial retirement--or baseball folly---and had several notable years after the championships ran dry.
In my mind Toni will historically be remembered as the single most important Euro trailblazer in basketball. I doubt he will get a big send offsince he has drifted a bit--Hawks-Bucks but I hope to see some recognition. I will be clapping very hard for this great talent who offered so much for the game. Thank You Toni.
His NBA career ultimately fell short of expectations--there was a time he was expected to be the next Bird or Magic. Still he has had an exemplary NBA career. He was a key cog in the Bulls championship run and his terrific all court game was a delight to watch. Beautiful movement.An unselfish player.The best passer I have seen at his height--Bird was 6'9 Toni around 6'10 or so--unlike many players today Toni was a lithe well porportioned player, not a muscle bound freak who specializes in tomahawk dunks ie Stoudamire of the Suns who seems lost without Steve Nash to bail him out.
Toni had a lot going against him--the war in his homeland--the constant nagging fromPhil Jackson using him as a scapegoat and of course jealousy over Euro players. Pippen infamously had a fit when the last shot of a key playoff game was set up for Toni instead of him. Indeed Toni performed admirably after Jordan's initial retirement--or baseball folly---and had several notable years after the championships ran dry.
In my mind Toni will historically be remembered as the single most important Euro trailblazer in basketball. I doubt he will get a big send offsince he has drifted a bit--Hawks-Bucks but I hope to see some recognition. I will be clapping very hard for this great talent who offered so much for the game. Thank You Toni.
