No. 9 – Toni Kukoc
Yes, it is Toni time. The Spider from Split, the Pink Panther, the White Magic, and the Croatian Sensation. If Kukoc did any one thing as marvelously as have the best nicknames, it was playing a supporting role to the greatest Bulls teams of all-time.
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Kukoc was a draft-and-stash player way back in 1990 and didn’t make it to the NBA until after Michael Jordan had retired. Imagine what a bummer that must have been. Of course, Jordan came back and being the borderline psychotic player that he was, drove Kukoc to the limits. That’s what Jordan needed from everyone that he played with throughout his career.
When Jordan returned from retirement, it was still his team. He had reservations about Kukoc and others. This moment in time was crucial for Kukoc. Jordan was back, the Bulls were in the playoffs and Mourning had just put in a sweet hook. The Croatian Sensation put his mark on the game, stuffing one in past Mourning. Big playoff moments like this were instrumental in solidifying the role players that surrounding Jordan and fellow all-time great, Scottie Pippen.
The style points for this dunk are quite high, but the true masterpiece is how Kukoc senses the moment. The crowd is amped, it’s a first-round playoff matchup and the Bulls are on the verge of running away with it. Mourning temporarily dulls the moment and then the Pink Panther strikes. Chicago was dominant in the 90s, but it was still fun because guys like Kukoc understood the moments they found themselves in. They understood theater. They had the confidence to cut to the rim from the wing and slam the ball on Zo.
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