FAMOUS CROAT STIRS UP A STORM — CLAIMS HE’D DO THE SAME AS JOKIĆ! Kukoč criticizes today’s NBA: I’d have no problem being near a triple-double every game!

The celebrated Croatian basketball legend is convinced that stars from his era would dominate in today’s NBA.

Multiple-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, the renowned Croatian star Toni Kukoč, is not impressed with the style of basketball he sees in the world’s strongest league today.

“In my opinion, players just move from three-point line to three-point line, and most shots during the game are threes. I remember we talked about this — during the Bulls’ dominance, we averaged 16 three-point attempts per game as a team. Today the average is huge. Some teams shoot between 45 and 50 threes per game, and then it’s normal to see 260 to 280, even 300 total points in a game,” Kukoč said in an interview with Sport Klub.

The Croatian is confident he would post numbers similar to Nikola Jokić in today’s game.

“Considering my basketball skills and my ability to play multiple positions, I think I wouldn’t have much trouble being close to a triple-double every game,” said Toni.

He also believes Michael Jordan would be even more dominant today, and that no one could stop Shaquille O’Neal under modern rules.

“Jordan would shoot 20–25 free throws per game today because with the current rules, if you put a hand on the offensive player, it’s a foul. And no one, not even back then, could guard him. I think he would easily average around 45 points in today’s NBA. And that’s not just me saying it because I played and practiced with him — everyone says that.”

Kukoč also argues that Shaq would dominate every night in the modern game.

“If you open up the paint for him, he steps in and someone throws him the ball — what chance do you have to stop him? None… Nobody plays with a traditional center anymore; that’s gone out of style.”

He then made an interesting comparison between Jokić and Shaq.

“Jokić is Denver’s best playmaker. He spends most of the game at the high post, beyond the free-throw line, operating as a point-center. When he drops to the low post, it’s 99.99 percent certain the possession will end with him. Everything else, he plays like a point guard,” said the former Bulls star, adding:

“From that height, he sees everything. His IQ is excellent, his passing is outstanding, and that’s why he’s used that way. Shaq wasn’t used like that — he was a classic center, like Ewing, Olajuwon, and the others. Back then, centers weren’t used as playmakers; that simply wasn’t the concept. Now, all big men — like Wembanyama — are used from the top of the arc and the paint because of their court vision and passing ability. It’s hard to stop them because they’re passing from, figuratively speaking, three meters above everyone else. Their paint is the nine other players in front of them. If you have some basketball skill, you can become the best playmaker on the floor.”

Do you agree with his opinion? Let us know in the comments!