All-round skills, elegant style, handsome face... In the 1990s, Kukoc was undoubtedly one of Europe's most popular stars. The basketball genius has not only had great success in the NBA, but has also achieved great results on the international stage.
At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the Dream Team attracted the attention of basketball fans around the world. NBA stars such as Jordan, "Magic" Johnson, and "Big Bird" Bird have given wonderful performances to the majority of fans. However, in addition to the members of the Dream Team, there is another player who has impressed basketball fans at this Olympic Games, and he is Croatia's Kukoc.
Kukoc hadn't made it to the NBA at the time, but he had already proven himself in the Europa League as well as in international competitions. The basketball pro has been playing in the pro league since 1985, playing for Yugoslavia's Jugoplastika split. Kukoc's abilities are very comprehensive, his super offensive firepower, and he also has a hand passing skill.
In 1988, at the age of 20, Kukoc made his Olympic debut when the Yugoslav star was Petrovic, who played only a supporting role in the team. The Yugoslav men's basketball team won the second place in the Olympic Games. Kukoc averaged 4.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Two years later, Kukoc competed in the Men's Basketball World Championship, by which time he had become the absolute main force of the team. He not only led Yugoslavia to the championship, but was also elected mvp at the World Championships. It was a bumper year for Kukoc, who was selected by the Bulls with the 29th pick in the draft and then on top of the world.
But Kukoc hasn't yet competed against the real masters. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Kukoc finally had the opportunity to test his strength. In order to win the Olympic gold medal, the U.S. men's basketball team formed a dream team with a luxurious lineup. Only by competing with such a team can we see how much weight we really have.
This year, Kukoc represented Croatia. Croatia played well in the group stage, easily beating the Federal Republic of Germany, Angola, Brazil and Spain. But they lost 70-103 to the mighty Dream Team in the group stage. In this game, Pippen of the Dream Team was responsible for keeping an eye on Kukoc, and under his close guard, Kukoc only scored 4 points. After the game, Pippen said he was disappointed in Kukoc.
But Kukoc quickly proved with his outstanding performance that he was not in vain. He led Croatia to a high end in the knockout rounds, first beating Australia 98-65 and then the Soviet Union 75-74 to reach the final and meet Dream again.
In the barcelona olympic final, Kukoc fully demonstrated his talent in front of the NBA superstars, contributing 16 points and 9 assists. Jordan of the Dream Team scored 22 points, but he praised Kukoc after the game and told Kukoc that he hoped they would meet in the NBA. Croatia lost 85-117 to the Dream team, but Kukoc proved himself, averaging 11.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game at the Olympics.
In 1996, Kukoc competed in the Olympic Games again, averaging 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, but unfortunately Croatia did not have Petrovic at that time, and the level dropped greatly, only to finish seventh.
Kukoc was also a huge success in the NBA, where he was elected best sixth man in the 1995-96 season and helped the Bulls win three championships. Under his influence, NBA teams gradually recognized the ability of international players, and more and more international players landed in the NBA.