<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Toni Kukoc would have played another season in the National Basketball Association, but only on his terms. He didn't want to move his family from Highland Park, Ill., so when neither the Milwaukee Bucks nor the Chicago Bulls expressed interest in signing him, he decided to end his career. "It looks like I'm done," Kukoc said Monday after playing in the Skip Kendall Charity Pro-Am Fore Kids at Tripoli Country Club. "There are teams that want me, but I don't want to go far from home." Kukoc, a 6-foot-11 forward, played 13 seasons in the NBA, including six-plus years with the Bulls and the last four with the Bucks. "My choice was either Chicago or Milwaukee," he said. "Milwaukee is going with a young team and Chicago is in need of a big guy, so that's it." The versatile Kukoc, a crowd favorite at the Bradley Center, played in 65 games last season and averaged 4.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Though he played increasingly fewer minutes in recent years, he was valued for his outside shooting, passing ability and leadership qualities. Kukoc, who turns 38 on Monday, said he wasn't sad about leaving the game. "No, not at all," he said. "I think it's time for me to move away from basketball. It was a huge part of my life and gave me pretty much everything I desired but there comes a time when you just can't take it anymore. "I can still play 10, 15, 20 minutes, maybe, but I don't need it anymore. I always felt like I needed to play basketball. Right now, it's not my most desirable thing anymore. I'd rather play golf." A native of Croatia, Kukoc was a three-time European player of the year and helped both Yugoslavia (1988) and Croatia (1992) win silver medals in the Olympic Games before signing with the Chicago Bulls in 1993. </div> Source
I knew from the time I first saw him ('90 Worlds, I think) that he was never going to be an "NBA STAR" (although I always secretly hoped he would) but damn I always enjoyed watching him think his way around a basketball floor with that easy, left-handed way he did everything, even though it was slow. But, seriously, how many 6-11 guys EVER posessed his hands, his dexterity and his vision. Thanks, Toni, I always loved watching you.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Birdman33:</div><div class="quote_post">I knew from the time I first saw him ('90 Worlds, I think) that he was never going to be an "NBA STAR" (although I always secretly hoped he would) but damn I always enjoyed watching him think his way around a basketball floor with that easy, left-handed way he did everything, even though it was slow. But, seriously, how many 6-11 guys EVER posessed his hands, his dexterity and his vision. Thanks, Toni, I always loved watching you.</div> Chris Webber?
Good call, but I wouldn't put Webber on Kukoc's level as far as ball handling and vision goes. In my opinion Webber's passing ability was overrated because he played with so many smart players in Sacramento in a system conducive to finding cutters. Can't argue with his hands, though. Webber's hands, as far as catching passes and snaring rebounds, were/are as good as any ever.
Kukoc was always kind of sodt and was a bad defender. When I think about it, his only good years were when he played with Jordan and that ridiculous line-up made him look good. Just another soft European big who could shoot.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting virve119:</div><div class="quote_post">Kukoc was always kind of sodt and was a bad defender. When I think about it, his only good years were when he played with Jordan and that ridiculous line-up made him look good. Just another soft European big who could shoot.</div> I agree wholeheartedly that he was soft and a lousy defender. But he had a basketball IQ that was through the roof. That's why I liked watching him. He wasn't ever concerned with getting his, he was just a solid team player at all times who understood the game. I like watching guys that understand the concept of basketball, not just guys with 40-inch verticals that understand the concept of the dunk.
I definitely will be a bit sad not to see Toni on the floor for us this year. He always was a player with clear weaknesses, but the things he did well, he did really well. I think he'll prove invaluable in the development of Bogut; he taught Bogut how to be a better passer, honed his jumper, and probably was a real steadying influence last year. He always was a reliable outside shooter and he made plays that kept the whole team playing at a high level. Thanks for all you did for us Toni, and happy retirement.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Birdman33:</div><div class="quote_post">He wasn't ever concerned with getting his, he was just a solid team player at all times who understood the game. I like watching guys that understand the concept of basketball </div> Obviously a lost art in the NBA! I watched the first few minutes of the US vs Greece game and I thought to myself "it's a shame that the US will win this game (based solely on natural talent) because it was obvious to me that the Greek team was more knowlegeable when it came to ball movement, spacing, moving without the ball, to name just a few. The US came down each time and threw up long-range bombs...I was glad to find out later that the Greek team prevailed. I'm by no means anti-American, but I guess I am anti-undisciplined-run-and-gun basketball.
I love run and gun basketball, even bordering on reckless and undisciplined, but I like to see a selfless version of it. I was watching part of the U.S. women's game against France late last night and it was beautiful basketball. They ran at every opportunity with Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Candace Parker, but it wasn't just running to get SOME FOR ME. Diana Taurasi (in my opinion, the most skilled woman on the planet) is possibly the most unselfish player on the team and it seems like that filters down and they all understand that an extra pass (even an unspectacular, two-hander of the chest variety) can, at times, be the most effective play to make. It seems like too many men feel that somehow flashless fundamentals are "beneath" them. I'm not some kind of Dr. Tom Davis flex offense disciple that believes in 5 passes before every shot, but I do believe the game is about your team winning and not necessarily about getting people to look at you. Win, play the way the game is supposed to be played, respect your teammates and people will notice. But above all, make the extra pass. Basketball is a simple game with no degree of difficulty scoring. Two is two and three is three. So make the extra pass and get the points as easily as possible, because while we all love highlights, the team that gets the most easy baskets usually wins the game.
I think one of the underappreciated things about Kukoc is that, at least while he was with the Bucks, he was a great playmaker and break-starter, but he wasn't reckless. Lots of players, even some very good ones, get shaky when they're handling the ball too much or trying to start a break/play, but Toni was adept at controlling possesion as much as making things happen, and that surely rubbed off on our youngsters. Hopefully they remember how he did things and keep on doing 'em.
