Post by jhb on May 20, 2021 14:31:11 GMT -5
Toni Kukoc
SF
6'10"
192
22
Yugoslavia
First appearing on the radar of TMBSL scouts several years ago because of his performance with a stacked Yugoslavian national team that defeated an American squad including fellow draftees Lionel Simmons, Dwayne Schintzius, and Scott Williams will perhaps change the way USA Basketball recruits and utilizes its talent for international competition, Kukoc is an international sensation now trying to make it in TMBSL. He followed up that previous U19 performance with a recent ass-beating of the Americans at the Goodwill Games to help his Yugoslavian team without some of the core talent that helped them at the U19 worlds. Kukoc is a five time European Player of the Year, a four time Mr. Europe. He led his team in Europe to four league championships and was the MVP of the team. He won an MVP at world championships in Argentina. He's one of the most accomplished Euros that has ever come to TMBSL.
Many scouts who seem to want to put their head in the sand about Kukoc's team beating Americans repeatedly try to say that Kukoc and his teammates are soft and awkward (though Toni personally could stand to add some weight to his lanky frame and hit the weight room), that they don't play defense, or that they're too passive to rebound in TMBSL. Kukoc's resume as a winning player wouldn't seem to indicate that. He has shown he is the ultimate team player and willing to do whatever his teams need him to do to be successful. Despite not picking up a basketball until age 14, he managed to join a program in Croatia that drilled fundamental basketball and picked up the game very quickly. He's got the playmaking skills of a point guard in a power forward's body and is an incredibly sound fundamental player. He understands the nuances of moving the basketball as a team rather than dribbling the ball into trouble, he is a very good screener and knows how to move well without the ball. Despite being tall and lanky, his shooting mechanics have come along well and he is a very solid jump shooter with range out to the TMBSL three point line. He should have no trouble working as a catch and shoot threat and he can be a secondary playmaking threat with his ball-handling ability and court vision.
Despite having the height and length of a power forward, Kukoc will need to play on the wing in TMBSL because he doesn't have the strength to play inside with TMBSL level bigs. He's not a great rebounder, though he'd be average for a 3. He's got the quickness and length to stay in front of perimeter players and that will likely suit him much better in the long run. His shooting ability is good enough to stick as a 3 offensively as well.