Toni Kukoc’s favorite teammates with the Chicago Bulls: Scottie Pippen
It was not all that long ago that Kukoc tabbed the fellow Hall-of-Fame forward and Bulls legend Scottie Pippen as his favorite teammate with this team. He didn’t choose what many would tab as the obvious player that he would mention in this regard. But Pippen was certainly an integral part of the Bulls’ dynasty teams of the 1990s.
Kukoc not only admitted that Pippen was his favorite teammate with the Bulls upon being admitted to the Hall-of-Fame with the 2021 class, but Toni also said that he was just as important as any other piece to this team’s roster. Pippen was one of the best defenders since the 1990s around the NBA. And Kukoc recognizing his two-way value is great in this day and age.
Pippen was with the Bulls for every single season that Kukoc was in the Windy City. The Bulls could likely not have done what they did during the 1990s without both Kukoc and Pippen. And both players likely recognize that fact.
There were four players that the Bulls had during the latter of the dynasty years in the 1990s that really powered this team. And the likes of Rodman, Kukoc, and Pippen were three of the four that were integral to making this all happen.
Kukoc had specifically noted how hard the likes of MJ and Pippen were on him in his early days with the Bulls. That is also something that Kerr recognized in what Kukoc had to go through in his early days with the Bulls, which shows the resiliency that likely brought them closer.