Allen Iverson's Teammate Special: Toni Kukoc Ultimate Sixers Highlight скачать в хорошем качестве

Allen Iverson's Teammate Special: Toni Kukoc Ultimate Sixers Highlight

Position: Forward/Guard Height: 6-11 Weight: 235 College: none (Croatia) Born: September 18, 1968 Opening Day (2001) Age: 33 Drafted: 1990, Second Round, Pick 29 (Chicago) Hand: Left NBA Experience: 8 Years Acquired: February 22, 2001, traded from Philadelphia 76ers with Nazr Mohammed, Theo Ratliff, and Pepe Sanchez in exchange for Dikembe Mutombo and Roshown McLeod 2000-2001 in Review: There's something odd about the Philadelphia 76ers. (And, yes, by the way, there's also something odd about starting a profile of a Hawks player with a commentary on the 76ers.) Anyways, other than Allen Iverson, the Sixers appear incapable of having high scoring players. The bigger the resume, the harder they fall. First was Jerry Stackhouse, who didn't fit and was dealt to Detroit. Than the Sixers gave Tim Thomas a shot. After a year and a half, he was dispatched to Milwaukee for the egoless Tyrone Hill. Larry Hughes was the next guy brought in. He could never learn to play alongside Iverson, so off he went. For Hughes, the 76ers got Toni Kukoc, who also struggled in Philadelphia. Kukoc began the 2000-2001 season as Philadelphia's top bench threat, but was soon surpassed by Aaron McKie, who also took his playing time, as Kukoc averaged just 20 minutes and 8 points per game. At the end of January and beginning of February, he missed two weeks with back problems, returning just in time to fulfill the numerous trade rumors surrounding him and be dealt. Kukoc went to Atlanta in a 6-player deal which brought Dikembe Mutombo to Philadelphia. In just his second game in a Hawk uniform, Kukoc served notice that he hadn't forgotten to score with a 28-point outburst against the Charlotte Hornets. It was a sign of good things to come, as Kukoc averaged 19.7 points over 17 games with the Hawks before succombing to plantar fascitis (which, amazingly, is real). Kukoc did more than just score, giving the Hawks 5.7 rebounds and an impressive 6.0 assists as well. Previous NBA Career: After Chicago GM Jerry Krause took a flier on him in the 1990 draft, Toni spent three more years in Europe before finally signing with the Bulls. Oft referred to as the "Michael Jordan of Europe", Kukoc looked forward to playing with the real thing, but of course Jordan went and retired on him. His first year, Kukoc was worked in slowly. In 24 minutes a game, he averaged an impressive 10 points per game, along with 4 rebounds and 3 and a half assists per game. The next year, Kukoc got more minutes and responded by upping his game, averaging 15.7 points and shooting better than 50% from the field. For the next three years, Kukoc played a supporting reserve role with the back-to- back-to-back champions, averaging 13 points per game each year. With Jordan and Pippen gone in the lockout year of 1999, Toni finally had the opportunity to be the man. He responded well, averaging 18.8 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. For the 1999-2000 season, he continued the fine scoring, averagin 18 points per game through the first half of the season, although limited by injuries. After the break, mounting trade rumors were proved true, as Kukoc was dealt to Philly in a three-way deal that sent Larry Hughes to Golden State and John Starks and a first-round draft pick to Chicago. Kukoc provided the Sixers the solid bench threat they had hoped for, scoring just over 12 points per game.