TONI KUKOC IMMORTALIZED ON NEW NBA TRADING CARD
The Philadelphia 76ers issued a Toni Kukoc trading card on April 15, 2000, highlighting Kukoc's recent arrival to Philadelphia and his successful contribution to the organization. Over 10,000 fans received the card during the April 15th meeting between the 76ers and the Detroit Pistons.
Since Kukoc's recent acquisition from the Chicago Bulls on February 17, 2000, the 76ers have increased their record to an accomplished 49 - 33, the best since the 1989 - 90 season, in which Charles Barkley led the team to the Atlantic Division title. Earning victories against Utah, Indiana, and Miami, Kukoc - with three World Championships to his name - has helped the 76ers secure a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference behind a 22 - 10 record since his arrival. Supporters and critics alike agree that Kukoc's move to Philadelphia has made the team a contender for the NBA Championship.
His eighth year in the NBA, Kukoc came to the Chicago Bulls in 1993, after a successful career in Europe where he was a member of three European Championship teams. Three-time European Player of the Year - the youngest to ever receive the award -- Kukoc led his national team to the Olympic Silver Medal twice, in 1988 and, more recently in 1992, shepherding the Croatian National Team against Michael Jordan and the U.S. National "Dream Team". Kukoc was named to the 1993-94 NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In the 1995-1996 season, Kukoc was honored as the NBA Sixth Man of the Year averaging 13.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game for the Bulls.
Over his entire NBA career, Kukoc has averaged 14.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 4.2 apg. Last season, he joined Grant Hill as the only player in the league to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists. This season, Kukoc has averaged 14.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.
Toni Kukoc has helped put Croatian athletes on the map. Croatia, a Mediterranean country on the Adriatic Sea with a population of 4.8 million, has a number of world-renowned athletes including present and past NBA stars Zan Tabak and Dino Rada, French Open Champion Iva Majoli and six-time European Heavyweight Boxing Champion Zeljko Mavrovic. In 1996, the Croatian Olympic Handball team defeated Sweden to win the country's first gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. In 1998, the Croatian National Soccer Team finished third in the World Cup, losing 2-1 to the eventual winner, France, in the semi-final game.
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Contact: John I. Vasilj
(202) 986-9479