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You Tube Gold: Jordan And Pippen Shut Down Kukoc In The 1992 Olympics

Toni Kukoc became an important Bull, but before he did, he had to be cut down to size by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippn.

By JD King
1998 NBA Finals Game 5: Utah Jazz vs. Chicago Bulls
CHICAGO - JUNE 12: Toni Kukoc #7 of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against the Utah Jazz in Game Five of the 1998 NBA Finals at the United Center on June 12, 1998 in Chicago, Illinois. The Jazz won 83-81.
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

There are a lot of stories that The Last Dance hasn’t told and many that it won’t be able to.

One we hope they get to is the development of Toni Kukoc.

Jerry Krause had plans to bring him to the Windy City and had talked a lot about what a great young player he was - which was true.

At 6-11, he could play four positions including point guard. He was unusual in 1992. Magic Johnson played point at 6-9, but four positions at 6-11? It was amazing.

Krause’s effusiveness about Kukoc irritated Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen and when the Dream Team played Croatia in the 1992 Olympics, they vowed to stick it to him - and did.

In this video, Magic Johnson talks about being awed by Jordan’s desire to shut Kukoc down in a game that was basically a speed bump for the US.

Both superb defenders, Jordan and Pippen did shut him down almost entirely. In 1993, Kukoc joined the Bulls and in time, was accepted and played a key role in the second three-peat.

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