Former Atlanta Hawks Player Toni Kukoc Inducted Into Basketball Hall of Fame

One of the most popular European players of all time was finally inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

© David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday another member of arguably the greatest team of all time - the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls - was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Most fans remember the 'Croatian Sensation' for his time in Chicago, but Kukoc played professional basketball long before and long after his time with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

The incredible documentary 'The Last Dance' does an excellent job of telling Kukoc's story up to the dissolution of the dynastic Bulls team. But Kukoc went on to play for three more NBA teams. As part of the complete rebuild, Kukoc was traded from the Bulls to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played from 2000-2001. 

Despite a dip in productivity, Kukoc was still a solid role player in the league. That's why the Atlanta Hawks traded Dikembe Mutumbo and Roshown McLeod to the 76ers in return for Kukoc, Nazr Mohammed, Pepe Sanchez, and Theo Ratliff. 

Kukoc played 17 games in the back half of an awful 2000-2001 season for the Hawks. Although the team didn't fare much better the following season, Kukoc averaged 9.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in 59 appearances. At 33-years-old, Kukoc put up three 20+ point appearances in March of 2001, which made him an appreciable asset once again.

The following August, the Hawks traded Kukoc and Leon Smith to the Milwaukee Bucks for Glenn Robinson. Kukoc went on to play four more seasons with the Bucks, where he came off the bench as a role player for three different coaches (George Karl, Terry Porter, and Terry Stotts). 

Although Kukoc's career largely won't be remembered for his time in Europe or bouncing around the NBA in the 2000s, his longevity deserves respect. The 'Croatian Sensation' was instrumental in making basketball a global game, and it's long overdue that Toni Kukoc takes his place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 

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