View source for Toni Kukoč

{{Short description|Croatian basketball player (born 1968)}}
{{BLPrefimprove|date=November 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Toni Kukoč
| image = Toni Kukoc 081423 cropped (cropped1).jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Kukoč in 2023
| team = Chicago Bulls
| position = Special advisor
| league = [[NBA]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|09|18}}
| birth_place = [[Split, Croatia|Split]], [[SR Croatia]], [[SFR Yugoslavia]]
| nationality = Croatian / American
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 235
| weight_footnote = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/player/389/passes-dash/|title=Toni Kukoč|work=[[NBA.com]]|access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref>
| draft_year = 1990
| draft_round = 2
| draft_pick = 29
| draft_team = [[Chicago Bulls]]
| career_start = 1985
| career_end = 2006
| career_position = [[Small forward]] / [[power forward]]
| career_number = 7
| years1 = 1985–1991
| team1 = [[KK Split|Jugoplastika]]
| years2 = 1991–1993
| team2 = [[Pallacanestro Treviso|Benetton Treviso]]
| years3 = {{nbay|1993|start}}–{{nbay|1999|end}}
| team3 = [[Chicago Bulls]]
| years4 = {{nbay|1999|end}}–{{nbay|2000|end}}
| team4 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]]
| years5 = {{nbay|2000|end}}–{{nbay|2001|end}}
| team5 = [[Atlanta Hawks]]
| years6 = {{nbay|2002|start}}–{{nbay|2005|end}}
| team6 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]]
| highlights = 
* 3× [[NBA champion]] ({{nbafy|1996}}–{{nbafy|1998}})
* [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award|NBA Sixth Man of the Year]] ({{nbay|1995|end}})
* [[NBA All-Rookie Second Team]] ({{nbay|1993|end}})
* 3× [[EuroLeague]] champion ([[1989 EuroLeague Final Four|1989]]–[[1991 EuroLeague Final Four|1991]])
* 3× [[EuroLeague Final Four MVP]] ([[1990 EuroLeague Final Four|1990]], 1991, [[1993 EuroLeague Final Four|1993]])
* 2× [[FIBA European Selection]] (1991 2×)
* [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]] (2008)
* 2× [[European Basketball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] winner (1990, 1991)
* [[Lega Basket Serie A|Italian League]] champion (1992)
* [[Italian Basketball Cup|Italian Cup]] winner (1993)
* 4× [[Yugoslav Basketball League|Yugoslav League]] champion ([[1987–88 Yugoslav First Basketball League|1988]]–[[1990–91 Yugoslav First Basketball League|1991]])
* 2× [[Yugoslav Basketball Cup|Yugoslav Cup]] winner (1990, 1991)
* 5× [[Euroscar Player of the Year]] (1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998)
* 4× [[Mr. Europa|Mister Europa Player of the Year]] (1990–1992, 1996)
* 3× [[Sportske novosti awards#Sportsmen|Croatian Sportsman of the Year]] (1989–1991)
* [[Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport]] (1992)
* [[FIBA Basketball World Cup Most Valuable Player|FIBA World Championship MVP]] ([[1990 FIBA World Championship|1990]])
* [[FIBA EuroBasket MVP]] ([[EuroBasket 1991|1991]])
* [[FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP]] ([[1987 FIBA Under-19 World Championship|1987]])
* [[FIBA Under-18 European Championship]] MVP ([[1986 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship|1986]])
* [[FIBA's 50 Greatest Players]]
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 9,810 (11.6 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 3,555 (4.2 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 3,119 (3.7 apg)
| HOF_player = Toni-Kukoc
| FIBA_HOF_player = Toni-Kukoc
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{bk|YUG}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988 Seoul]]|| }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA World Cup|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1990 FIBA World Championship|1990 Argentina]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[EuroBasket]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[EuroBasket 1987|1987 Greece]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[EuroBasket 1989|1989 Yugoslavia]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[EuroBasket 1991|1991 Italy]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Under-19 World Championship|U19 World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1987 FIBA Under-19 World Championship|1987 Italy]]|[[Yugoslavia men's national under-19 basketball team|Under-19]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship|European U-18 Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1986 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship|1986 Austria]]|[[Yugoslavia men's national under-18 basketball team|Under-18]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship|European U-16 Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1985 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship|1985 Bulgaria]]|[[Yugoslavia men's national under-16 basketball team|Under-16]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Goodwill Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1990 Goodwill Games|1990 Seattle]]|}}
{{MedalCountry|{{bk|CRO}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1992 Barcelona]]| }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA World Championship|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1994 FIBA World Championship|1994 Toronto]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[EuroBasket]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[EuroBasket 1995|1995 Greece]]|}}
}}
'''Toni Kukoč''' ({{IPA|sh|kukotʃ|pron}}; born September 18, 1968) is a Croatian former professional [[basketball]] player who serves as special advisor to [[Jerry Reinsdorf]], the owner of the [[Chicago Bulls]]. After a highly successful period in European basketball, he was one of the first established European stars to play in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). Kukoč played for four NBA teams between 1993 and 2006, winning the [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|author=Melissa Isaacson|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-05-15-9605150312-story.html|title=Kukoc: Sixth Man Award 2nd Best To Starting Role|publisher=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=May 15, 1996|access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref> He is a three-time NBA champion, having won championships with the Chicago Bulls in 1996, 1997 and 1998. 

Nicknamed "'''the Waiter'''" and "'''the Croatian Sensation'''", Kukoč is renowned for his versatility and passing ability. Although his natural position was [[small forward]], the {{height|ft=6|in=11|abbr=yes}} Kukoč played multiple [[Basketball position|positions]] and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were seldom found in players of his height. He also enjoyed success in international play, winning Olympic silver medals in 1988 (playing for Yugoslavia) and 1992 (playing for Croatia). Kukoč and [[Vassilis Spanoulis]] are the only players in history to receive the [[EuroLeague Final Four MVP#Multiple honors|EuroLeague Final Four MVP]] honor on three occasions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/113736/180/spanoulis-named-bwin-mvp-of-2013-final-four|title=Spanoulis named bwin MVP of 2013 Final Four|date=March 21, 2024 }}</ref> He was elected to the [[FIBA Hall of Fame]] in 2017<ref>[https://www.fiba.basketball/news/dream-team-shaq-and-kukoc-headline-2017-class-of-fiba-hall-of-fame-inductees Dream Team, Shaq and Kukoc headline 2017 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame Inductees.]</ref> and the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Toni Kukoč selected to Hall of Fame Class of 2021|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/bulls-toni-kukoc-selected-hall-fame-class-2021|access-date=June 20, 2021|website=RSN|date=May 16, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>  In 2023, he was selected to be in the inaugural class of the Chicago Bulls' Ring of Honor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 12, 2023 |title=Jordan headlines first Bulls' Ring of Honor class |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39099258/michael-jordan-headlines-inaugural-class-bulls-ring-honor |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Kukoč grew up in [[Split, Croatia|Split]], Croatia. His father was devoted to athletics, having played [[association football|football]] as a [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] in a lower ranked local club. Possessing excellent [[motor skill]]s, young Toni grew up participating in different sports, including [[table tennis]] and football. He especially excelled in table tennis as an adolescent, winning different youth category titles.<ref name="euroleague">{{cite web|url=http://nodo4.euroleague.net/features/voices/2012-2013/vladimir-stankovic/i/109942/7781/toni-kukoc-the-pink-panther-of-basketball|title=Toni Kukoč, the Pink Panther of basketball|date=March 4, 2013|publisher=Euroleague|access-date=August 17, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628030600/http://nodo4.euroleague.net/features/voices/2012-2013/vladimir-stankovic/i/109942/7781/toni-kukoc-the-pink-panther-of-basketball|archive-date=June 28, 2013}}</ref> He soon switched to basketball as his sport of choice.

==Professional career==
[[File:Toni Kukoč-Dino Rađa-Jugoplastika.jpg|thumb|left|Kukoč (left) celebrating Split's second consecutive continental title with teammate [[Dino Rađa]] after beating [[FC Barcelona Bàsquet|FC Barcelona]] at the [[1989–90 FIBA European Champions Cup|European Champions Cup]] [[1990 FIBA European Champions Cup Final Four|Final Four]] final game in [[Zaragoza]] on April 19, 1990.]]
===Europe===
Kukoč began playing for his home town club, [[KK Split|KK Jugoplastika]], at the age of 17. He achieved significant success during his time with the club, winning the prestigious [[EuroLeague]] as the team recorded three winning year seasons consecutively (1989&ndash;1991). His team won the [[European Basketball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] in 1990 and 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/9105/180/all-the-final-fours-1988-2011|title=All The Final Fours 1988-2011|date=March 1, 2002 |publisher=Euroleague|access-date=August 19, 2015}}</ref> Kukoč was awarded as the [[EuroLeague Final Four MVP]] both times.

Afterwards, he signed for [[Pallacanestro Treviso|Benetton Treviso]] in 1991. His contract was worth $23 million for 6 years, making him one of the highest paid players in the world at the time with an average annual salary of $3,8 million.<ref>[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/08/09/kukoc-says-he-didnt-want-to-sit/ KUKOC SAYS HE DIDN`T WANT TO SIT (09/08/91) - ChicagoTribune.Com]</ref> He won the [[Lega Basket Serie A|Italian League]] championship in 1992 and the [[Italian Basketball Cup|Italian Cup]] in 1993. He also played in the [[1993 EuroLeague Final Four|EuroLeague final in 1993]], winning the [[EuroLeague Final Four MVP]] once again. He was nicknamed "the White [[Magic Johnson|Magic]]", "the Spider from Split", "the Pink Panther", "the Waiter", "Euro Magic", and "the Croatian Sensation".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t1oPAAAAIBAJ&pg=2049,2623878&dq=croatian-sensation+kukoc&hl=en|title=The Bulletin - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref> Throughout the 1990s, he won several European Basketball Player of the Year Awards.

===Chicago Bulls ===
After being drafted by the NBA's [[Chicago Bulls]] in 1990, Kukoč continued to play in Europe, until finally reporting to the Bulls in [[1993–94 NBA season|1993]], when the team had just finished its first three-peat and had lost [[Michael Jordan]] to retirement. Although disappointed that he could not play with Jordan, Kukoč made his NBA debut on November 5, 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kukocto01.html|title=Toni Kukoc Stats - Basketball-Reference.com|website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref>

The {{height|ft=6|in=11}} Kukoč came off the bench in [[1993–94 NBA season|1993–94]] behind [[small forward]] [[Scottie Pippen]] and [[power forward (basketball)|power forward]] [[Horace Grant]]. On January 21, 1994, in a game against the [[Indiana Pacers]], [[Reggie Miller]] made a mid-range jumper with 0.8 seconds remaining to give the Pacers a 95–93 lead. [[Scottie Pippen]] inbounded the ball to Kukoc, who hit a three-point jumper at the buzzer to give the Bulls the win, 96–95. Kukoč put up a solid rookie season, averaging double-digit scoring and earning a berth on the [[NBA All-Rookie Second Team]].

On May 13, 1994, at the end of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Bulls and the [[New York Knicks]] were tied at 102 with 1.8 seconds left. Bulls coach [[Phil Jackson]] designed the last play for Kukoč, with [[Scottie Pippen]] charged with inbounding the basketball. Pippen was so angered by Jackson's decision to not let him take the potential game-winner that he refused to leave the bench and re-enter the game when the timeout was over. Kukoč did hit the game-winner, a 23-foot fadeaway jumper at the buzzer, though the Bulls eventually lost the series in seven games.

After Grant left in the offseason, Kukoč moved into the starting lineup and finished the [[1994–95 NBA season|1994–95 season]] second on the Bulls in scoring, rebounds and assists, behind Pippen. Furthermore, Michael Jordan would return to the Bulls in March, fulfilling Kukoč's wish to play alongside him.

For the [[1995–96 NBA season|1995–96 season]], the Bulls were bolstered by both Jordan's return to full form and the offseason acquisition of exceptional rebounder [[Dennis Rodman]]. With Pippen still at small forward, coach [[Phil Jackson]] saw it best to have Kukoč continue to be a bench player. Kukoč was third on the team in scoring (behind Jordan and Pippen) and was rewarded for his efforts with the [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Zach Lowe |title=Toni Kukoc talks about Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, 'The Last Dance' and the Chicago Bulls |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29072197/toni-kukoc-talks-michael-jordan-scottie-pippen-last-dance-chicago-bulls |access-date=March 10, 2022 |work=[[ESPN]] |date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> He also assisted the Bulls to a 25-game turnaround and the best record in league history at the time at 72–10 (later surpassed by the [[2015–16 Golden State Warriors season|2015–16 Golden State Warriors]]), as well as the fourth championship in team history. Kukoč was the 4th and is currently the last player to win the [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award]] and the NBA title in the same year having joined [[Kevin McHale (basketball)|Kevin McHale]], [[Bill Walton]], and [[Bobby Jones (basketball, born 1951)|Bobby Jones]] in accomplishing that feat.

In [[1997 NBA Finals]], the Bulls defeated the [[Utah Jazz]] in six games, during which at the end of Game 6, Kukoč received the ball from [[Scottie Pippen]] and sealed the victory with a dunk to make the score 90–86 with just 0.6 seconds left. A year later, the Bulls defeated the Jazz again in the [[1998 NBA Finals]]. In both series, Kukoč came off the bench as the sixth man, and was the team's leading scorer off the bench.

===Career ending and retirement===
During the 1998–99 offseason, Jordan retired, Pippen was traded to the [[Houston Rockets]], and Jackson's contract expired and took a break from coaching, effectively breaking up the Bulls' dynasty. Kukoč was the highest-scoring player from the Bulls' previous season that remained with the team.
[[File:Toni Kukoc.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Kukoč with the Bucks in 2005]]
In the lockout-shortened [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]], he led the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists. On [[1999–2000 NBA season|February 16, 2000]] as Chicago continued their rebuilding scheme, Kukoč was traded to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] in a three-team deal involving the [[Golden State Warriors]] that sent [[Bruce Bowen]], [[John Starks (basketball)|John Starks]] and a 2000 first-round pick to the Bulls. The following season, he was dealt to the [[Atlanta Hawks]], along with [[Nazr Mohammed]], [[Juan Ignacio Sánchez|Pepe Sánchez]], and [[Theo Ratliff]], in a blockbuster deal that sent [[Dikembe Mutombo]] and [[Roshown McLeod]] to the 76ers. 

After a short stint with the Hawks, he was traded to the [[Milwaukee Bucks]], along with [[Leon Smith (basketball)|Leon Smith]], in a deal for [[Glenn Robinson]]. During the [[2003 NBA Playoffs]], Kukoč averaged postseason career-highs of 14.8 points and 2.2 steals per game during a six game first round loss to the eventual Eastern Conference champion [[New Jersey Nets]].<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kukocto01.html Tony Kukoc Per Game Playoffs]</ref> On September 12, 2006, Kukoč announced that he would retire from professional basketball if he could not be signed by either the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] or the [[Chicago Bulls]] for the [[2006–07 NBA season]]. Although various NBA teams had shown interest in his services, Kukoč expressed a desire to be close to his residence in the city of [[Highland Park, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2584291 | title = All she wrote? Kukoc says 'it looks like I'm done' | work = [[ESPN.com]] | date = September 12, 2006 | access-date = July 11, 2007 }}</ref>

==National team career==
===Yugoslavia===
Kukoč was on the junior [[Yugoslavia men's national under-19 basketball team|Yugoslavian Under-19 national team]] that won the [[1987 FIBA Under-19 World Championship|1987 FIBA Under-19 World Cup]], where he was named [[FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup Most Valuable Player|the tournament MVP]]. He was also on the senior men's [[Yugoslavian national basketball team|Yugoslavian national team]] that got the silver medal at the [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988 Summer Olympic Games]]. He was named [[FIBA World Championship MVP|the MVP]] of the [[1990 FIBA World Championship]], where he also won a gold medal.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050105023930/http://www.24sec.net/article.asp?index=71 24cec.net Hall of fame - Toni Kukoč.]</ref> With Yugoslavia, he also won the gold medals at the [[EuroBasket 1989|1989]] and [[EuroBasket 1991|1991 EuroBaskets]], as well as the [[1990 Goodwill Games]]. He was also named [[FIBA EuroBasket MVP|the MVP of the 1991 EuroBasket tournament]].

===Croatia===
Kukoč went on to win a silver medal with [[Croatian national basketball team|Croatia]] at the [[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1992 Summer Olympic Games]] in [[Barcelona]]. He also won bronze medals at both the [[1994 FIBA World Championship]] in Canada and at the [[1995 EuroBasket]] in Greece.

==NBA career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1993}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1993–94 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 75 || 8 || 24.1 || .431 || .271 || .743 || 4.0 || 3.4 || 1.1 || .4 || 10.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1994}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1994–95 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| '''81''' || '''55''' || 31.9 || '''.504''' || .313 || .748 || 5.4 || 4.6 || 1.3 || .2 || 15.7
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1995}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| '''81''' || 20 || 26.0 || .490 || .403 || '''.772''' || 4.0 || 3.5 || .8 || .3 || 13.1
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1996}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1996–97 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 57 || 15 || 28.2 || .471 || .331 || .770 || 4.6 || 4.5 || 1.1 || .5 || 13.2
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1997}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1997–98 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 74 || 52 || 30.2 || .455 || .362 || .708 || 4.4 || 4.2 || 1.0 || .5 || 13.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1998}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1998–99 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 44 || 44 || '''37.6''' || .420 || .285 || .740 || '''7.0''' || 5.3 || 1.1 || .3 || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2|{{nbay|1999}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1999–2000 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 24 || 23 || 36.2 || .381 || .231 || .761 || 5.4 || 5.2 || '''1.8''' || '''.8''' || 18.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1999–2000 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 32 || 8 || 28.6 || .438 || .289 || .673 || 4.5 || 4.4 || 1.0 || .3 || 12.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2|{{nbay|2000}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 48 || 5 || 20.4 || .458 || .410 || .591 || 3.4 || 1.9 || .7 || .1 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2000–01 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| 17 || 14 || 36.4 || .492 || '''.481''' || .681 || 5.7 || '''6.2''' || .8 || .3 || '''19.7'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2001}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2001–02 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| 59 || 9 || 25.3 || .419 || .310 || .712 || 3.7 || 3.6 || .8 || .3 || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2002}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2002–03 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| 63 || 0 || 27.0 || .432 || .361 || .706 || 4.2 || 3.7 || 1.3 || .5 || 11.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2003}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2003–04 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| 73 || 0 || 20.8 || .417 || .292 || .729 || 3.7 || 2.7 || .8 || .3 || 8.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2004}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2004–05 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| 53 || 6 || 20.7 || .410 || .362 || .721 || 3.0 || 3.0 || .7 || .2 || 5.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2005}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2005–06 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| 65 || 0 || 15.7 || .389 || .306 || .714 || 2.3 || 2.1 || .5 || .3 || 4.9
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 846 || 259 || 26.3 || .447 || .335 || .729 || 4.2 || 3.7 || 1.0 || .3 || 11.6
{{s-end}}

===Playoffs===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1994 NBA playoffs|1994]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1993–94 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 10 || 0 || 19.4 || .448 || .421 || '''.735''' || 4.0 || 3.6 || .5 || .3 || 9.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1995 NBA playoffs|1995]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1994–95 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 10 || 10 || 37.2 || .477 || .438 || .692 || '''6.8''' || '''5.7''' || 1.0 || .2 || 13.8
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1996 NBA playoffs|1996]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 15 || 5 || 29.3 || .391 || .191 || .838 || 4.2 || 3.9 || .9 || .3 || 10.8
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1997 NBA playoffs|1997]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1996–97 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| 19 || 0 || 22.3 || .360 || .358 || .707 || 2.8 || 2.8 || .7 || .2 || 7.9
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1998 NBA playoffs|1998]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1997–98 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| '''21''' || '''17''' || '''30.3''' || .486 || .377 || .645 || 3.9 || 2.9 || 1.2 || .5 || 13.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2000 NBA playoffs|2000]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1999–2000 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 10 || 0 || 25.7 || .419 || .324 || .588 || 3.1 || 1.7 || 1.0 || .3 || 9.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2003 NBA playoffs|2003]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2002–03 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| 6 || 0 || 30.7 || .492 || .379 || .700 || 4.2 || 3.7 || '''2.2''' || .2 || '''14.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2004 NBA playoffs|2004]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2003–04 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| 5 || 0 || 21.0 || .500 || .333 || .500 || 2.8 || .8 || .6 || .4 || 8.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2006 NBA playoffs|2006]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2005–06 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| 3 || 0 || 17.7 || '''.571''' || '''.625''' || .500 || 1.7 || 3.0 || .3 || .0 || 7.3
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 99 || 32 || 26.9 || .440 || .342 || .697 || 3.9 || 3.2 || 1.0 || .3 || 10.7
{{s-end}}

==Personal life==
Kukoč and his wife, Renata, purchased their [[Highland Park, Illinois|Highland Park]] home, just after arriving in [[Chicago]], in 1993. They are both [[American citizens]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/chicago/nba/columns/story?columnist=isaacson_melissa&id=6643046 |title=Toni Kukoc is right at home in Chicago |first=Melissa |last=Isaacson |work=[[ESPN.com]] |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=June 9, 2011 |access-date=September 13, 2023}}</ref>  After undergoing hip replacement surgery in 2009, he now plays at least one round of [[golf]] daily, and won Croatia's national amateur golf championship in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurobasket2011.com/en/coid_VDbqYY4UHScs3eKguILMo0.articleMode_on.html |title=Vrankovic Calls on Toni Kukoc Again |first=Jeff |last=Taylor |work=[[EuroBasket 2011|EuroBasket2011.com]] |publisher=[[FIBA Europe]] |date=July 19, 2011 |access-date=July 20, 2011}}</ref> His son, Marin, played for [[Highland Park High School (Highland Park, Illinois)|Highland Park High School]]'s varsity [[basketball]] team, and then enrolled at the [[University of Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/ivy/home.htm|title=Ivy League|website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/51827/marin-kukoc|title=Marin Kukoc|website=ESPN.com}}</ref> His daughter, Stela, played college volleyball at [[Miami University]] in [[Oxford, Ohio]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Kukoc's stories have familiar rings| date=June 9, 2011 |url=https://www.espn.com/chicago/nba/columns/story?columnist=isaacson_melissa&id=6642515 |publisher=ESPN| access-date=March 13, 2013}}</ref>

==Awards and accomplishments==

===Jugoplastika===
* 3× [[EuroLeague champion]]: ([[1988–89 FIBA European Champions Cup|1989]]–[[1990–91 FIBA European Champions Cup|1991]])
* 4× [[Yugoslav Basketball League|National Championship of Yugoslavia]] champion: (1988–1991)
* 2× [[Yugoslav Basketball Cup|Yugoslav Cup]] winner: (1990–1991)
* 2× [[European Basketball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] winner: (1990–1991)

===Benetton Treviso===
* [[Lega Basket Serie A|Italian League]] champion: (1992)
* [[Italian Basketball Cup|Italian Cup]] winner: (1993)

===Chicago Bulls===
* 3× [[NBA champion]]: ({{nbafy|1996}}–{{nbafy|1998}})
* 3× [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] champion: ({{nbafy|1996}}–{{nbafy|1998}})
* 3× [[Central Division (NBA)|Central Division]] champion: ({{nbafy|1996}}–{{nbafy|1998}})

===National team===

====Yugoslavia====
* [[1985 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[1986 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[1987 FIBA Under-19 World Championship|1987 FIBA Under-19 World Cup]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1987]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988 Summer Olympics]]: {{silver medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1989]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[1990 Goodwill Games]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[1990 FIBA World Championship]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1991]]: {{gold medal}}

====Croatia====
* [[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1992 Summer Olympics]]: {{silver medal}}
* [[1994 FIBA World Championship]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1995]]: {{bronze medal}}

===Individual===
* [[1986 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship]]: [[Most valuable player|MVP]]
* [[1987 FIBA Under-19 World Championship|1987 FIBA Under-19 World Cup]]: [[FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup Most Valuable Player|MVP]]
* 3× [[Sportske novosti awards#Sportsmen|Croatian Sportsman of the Year]]: (1989–1991)
* [[FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team]]: ([[1990 FIBA World Championship|1990]])
* [[FIBA World Cup MVP]]: ([[1990 FIBA World Championship|1990]])
* 5× [[Euroscar|Euroscar European Player of the Year]]: (1990–1991, 1994, 1996, 1998)
* 4× [[Mr. Europa|Mister Europa European Player of the Year]]: (1990–1992, 1996)
* 3× [[EuroLeague Final Four MVP]]: ([[1990 EuroLeague Final Four|1990]], [[1991 EuroLeague Final Four|1991]], [[1993 EuroLeague Final Four|1993]])
* [[EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer]]: (1990)
* 2× [[EuroLeague All-Final Four Team]]: (1991, 1993)
* 2× [[FIBA European Selection]]: ([[FIBA Balkans Selection|1991 I]], 1991 II)
* 2× [[FIBA EuroBasket All-Tournament Team]]: ([[EuroBasket 1991|1991]], [[EuroBasket 1995|1995]])
* [[FIBA EuroBasket MVP]]: ([[EuroBasket 1991|1991]])
* [[FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)|FIBA's 50 Greatest Players]]: (1991)
* [[Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport]]: (1992)
* [[NBA All-Rookie Second Team]]: ({{nbay|1993|end}})
* [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award|NBA Sixth Man of the Year]]: ({{nbay|1995|end}})
* [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]]: (2008)
* [[FIBA Hall of Fame]]: (2017)
* [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]: (2021)
* [https://pr.nba.com/all-time-nba-european-team/ All-Time NBA European Second Team]: (2022)

==Filmography==
* ''[[Once Brothers]]'' (2010)
* ''[[250 Steps]]'' (2017)
* ''[[The Last Dance (TV series)|The Last Dance]]'' (2020)
* [https://m.imdb.com/title/tt15986332/ The Waiter - A Toni Kukoc Story] (2021)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kukocto01.html Toni Kukoč] at Basketball-Reference.com
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120802042945/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/lid_38135_cp/1/pid/2636/q/Toni%20Kukoc/rpp/_/players.html Toni Kukoč] at FIBA.com (archive)
*[http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_1999.roundID_2267.playerID_2636.teamID_2168.html Toni Kukoč] at FIBAEurope.com
*[http://web.legabasket.it/player/?id=KUK-TON Toni Kukoč] at LegaBasket.it {{in lang|it}}
*[https://larryceltics.com/toni-kukoc/ EuroLeague & International Statistics]
*[https://stats.nba.com/player/389/career/ Toni Kukoč] at NBA.com

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box | before = [[Dragomir Bečanović]] | title = [[Sportske novosti awards#Yugoslav competition (1950–1990)|Yugoslav Sportsman of the Year]] | years = 1990 | after = None}}
{{s-end}}

{{Euroleague Finals Top Scorer}}
{{FIBA50}}
{{FIBA Hall of Fame}}
{{Euroleague50}}
{{FIBA World Championship MVP Award}}
{{EuroBasket MVP Award}}
{{Euroleague Final Four MVP Award}}
{{FIBA Under-19 World Championship MVP}}
{{Croatian Athlete of the Year (men)}}
{{Euroscar}}
{{Mr. Europa}}
{{Lega Basket Serie A assists leader}}
{{1990 NBA draft}}
{{NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award Winners}}
{{KK Split 1988–89 Euroleague champions}}
{{KK Split 1989–90 Euroleague champions}}
{{KK Split 1990–91 Euroleague champions}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1995–96 NBA champions}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1996–97 NBA champions}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1997–98 NBA champions}}
{{Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame members}}
{{2021 Basketball HOF}}
}}
{{Navboxes|title= International squads|list1=
{{Navboxes colour|title= Yugoslavia squads|bg=#00008b|fg=white|list1=
{{Yugoslavia Squad EuroBasket 1987}}
{{Footer 1988 Olympic Silver Medalists Basketball Men}}
{{Yugoslavia Squad EuroBasket 1989}}
{{Yugoslavia Squad 1990 FIBA World Championship}}
{{Yugoslavia Squad EuroBasket 1991}}
}}
{{Navboxes colour|title= Croatia squads|bg=red|fg=white|list1=
{{Footer 1992 Olympic Silver Medalists Basketball Men}}
{{Croatia Squad 1994 FIBA World Championship}}
{{Croatia Squad EuroBasket 1995}}
{{Croatia Men Basketball Squad 1996 Summer Olympics}}
}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kukoc, Toni}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1990 FIBA World Championship players]]
[[Category:1994 FIBA World Championship players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Hawks players]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Split, Croatia]]
[[Category:Chicago Bulls draft picks]]
[[Category:Chicago Bulls players]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Croatian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Croatian expatriate basketball people in Italy]]
[[Category:Croatian expatriate basketball people in the United States]]
[[Category:Croatian men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Euroscar award winners]]
[[Category:FIBA EuroBasket–winning players]]
[[Category:FIBA Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:FIBA World Championship–winning players]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games gold medalists]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in basketball]]
[[Category:KK Split players]]
[[Category:Lega Basket Serie A players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Bucks players]]
[[Category:NBA players from Croatia]]
[[Category:Olympic basketball players for Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Croatia in basketball]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:Pallacanestro Treviso players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Highland Park, Illinois]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]
[[Category:Philadelphia 76ers players]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
[[Category:Yugoslav men's basketball players]]