Toni Kukoc Net Worth: Jordan's Teammate Earned More Than Pippen In '97-98 Season

Toni Kukoc’s net worth is $30 million. The former national team mainstay was an integral part of the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the ‘90s.

Kukoc provided outside sniping that was vital in the Michael Jordan-led Bulls. He won three championships alongside MJ, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman from 1996 to 1998. Back then, the towering Croatian was so highly touted that general manager Jerry Krause kept talking about him even before he was drafted by the team in 1990. He was only able to play for the team three years later.

Before him, a lot of European players have been wreaking havoc in the NBA such as Vlade Divac, Dražen Petrović and Arvydas Sabonis. In a way, they can be considered the pioneers who paved the way for the Dirk Nowitzkis, Manu Ginobilis and Andrei Kirilenkos of the world. Euro big men who were skilled in bringing down the ball and shooting from the outside were considered different from traditional post players in that era.

Kukoc’s skill set made him someone who was ahead of his time. He provided instant offense when needed and his 6’11” height paired with outside shooting and penetration to the basket proved to be a nightmare for opposing teams. When he entered the NBA at 24 years old, he was not really a rookie back then since he had been playing in European leagues at 17 years old.

Because of his experience and accolades before entering the NBA, he could bargain better deals with any team. In fact, at one point in their careers, Kukoc was even paid higher than Pippen, who many consider to be Jordan's best ever teammate. This happened in the 1997-1998 season when Kukoc’s salary was at $4.5 million while Pippen only received a $2.7 million salary during that time, as reported by Spotrac.

Born in Split, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia, Kukoc won multiple awards outside NBA such as a three-time Euroleague Champion, four-time European Player of the Year, Olympic medalist, and FIBA World Championship MVP, per Chicago Bulls History. He got a first taste of how competitive Jordan was when Croatia faced the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics. Croatia went on to lose the game 103-70, with MJ and Pippen shutting down Kukoc’s offense and limited him to only four points.

After his stint under coach Phil Jackson, he went on to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award and decided to retire after 13 seasons. He is bound to appear in ESPN’s Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance.” Other teammates who are also featured in the documentary include Pippen, Rodman and Steve Kerr, among others.