Croatian · Šibenik, Croatia · Born 18 September 1968Croatian basketball forward who became the first European player to win NBA Sixth Man of the Year award and a three-time NBA champion with Chicago Bulls.
Toni Kukoč was born in Split, Yugoslavia (now Croatia) in 1968. He was one of Europe's greatest players before joining the NBA — he was EuroBasket MVP three times and won multiple European league titles with Jugoplastika/Pop 84. Chicago Bulls drafted him in the second round of the 1990 NBA Draft but he didn't come to the NBA until 1993. He won three consecutive NBA championships with the Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998) as the team's third option behind Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 1996. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game — statistics that reflected his complete skill set. His combination of size, ball-handling, shooting range and playmaking was described by coaches as the most complete European skill package they had encountered. He represented Yugoslavia and later Croatia at multiple Olympics, winning silver in 1992 as part of Yugoslavia's Dream Team equivalent. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. He remains the standard bearer for Croatian and Yugoslav basketball excellence.
Versatile European star who helped Bulls win three NBA titles
How They Played
Versatile point forward with excellent passing and basketball IQ
Lasting Impact
Pioneer European player who bridged gap between European and NBA basketball
Career Honours
- NBA Champion 3x (1996,1997,1998)
- Sixth Man of the Year (1996)
- EuroBasket MVP 3x
- Olympic Silver Medal
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bulls | 1993–2000 | 379 |
| Jugoplastika Split | 1985–1993 | — |
| Benetton Treviso | 1991–1993 | — |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 2000–2002 | 84 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 2002–2003 | 42 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2003–2006 | 127 |
Croatian Athletes