NBA Draft 2016: Every team’s most underrated pick ever
By Brad Rowland
Chicago Bulls: Toni Kukoc, No. 29 pick, 1990 NBA Draft
More than three full years passed from the time that the Chicago Bulls drafted Toni Kukoc until he took the floor for the franchise. Let’s just say that it was worth the wait for the Bulls.
Kukoc was a key cog during Chicago’s second “three-peat”, winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 1995-1996 and generally sparking the Bulls from a supporting role. During his seven seasons with the organization, Kukoc averaged 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while playing only 29.5 minutes, and the talented 6-foot-11 forward did it all in service to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson.
Obviously, there have been other more high-profile picks during the lengthy history of this particular organization, but the Bulls made a shrewd investment in Kukoc that paid huge dividends. It takes real patience to “draft and stash” players in the way that Chicago did here, and it must be remembered that NBA teams did not regularly pull the trigger on this type of move in the early 1990’s.
Toni Kukoc isn’t a Hall of Fame player when it comes to his NBA career, but he was a central contributor on three title teams and the Bulls got him in the second round. That’s a win.
Next: Cleveland Cavaliers