This is the Morning Win. Nate Scott is filling in for Andy Nesbitt this week.
The Last Dance, ESPN’s 10-part documentary look at the last run of the great Bulls dynasty of the 90s, is a wonderful work of art. They’ve taken us back to perhaps the last true worldwide sports phenomenon (only Tiger Woods in his prime has come close).
And they’ve gotten everyone: We’ve had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, along with, you know, two presidents in Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, all appear in this documentary.
But one person we haven’t heard from is one that’s utterly perplexing: Toni Kukoc.
Kukoc was the team’s sixth man, its third leading scorer, and still works with the Bulls as a special advisor. But, perhaps more importantly for the focus of the documentary, he was the on-court manifestation of the rivalry between Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the team’s GM, Jerry Krause.
Krause had long wanted Kukoc, a star in Europe, to come play for the Bulls. He drafted him in the second round, then spent years convincing Kukoc to give up more money in Europe to come play in the NBA.
His public adulation of Kukoc rankled Pippen, and when Kukoc showed up, he was instantly a bit of a pariah within the team, through no fault of his own. He was Krause’s guy, and Pippen and Jordan didn’t like Krause, so Kukoc got caught in the crossfire.
He still came and built an incredible career, filling in as the sixth man despite having the talent to probably lead most of the other teams in the NBA.
And … we haven’t heard from him. Not in the first two episodes when Jordan and Pippen and Jackson let Krause, who passed away a couple years ago, have it.
It took another interview with ESPN’s Zach Lowe to get Kukoc’s side of the story, and wouldn’t you know it: He thinks Krause was a prickly but smart guy who did an amazing job building the Bulls team, and was a kinder man than people give him credit for.
I have no idea who’s right, but I wish Kukoc had the ability to talk and at least present both sides. I have no idea if he refused to appear in the documentary, or they’re saving him for later, and can’t seem to find any confirmation one way or the other. Maybe he’ll get an entire episode arc like Dennis Rodman did.
I just wish someone had been there in the first two episodes to tell the other side of the story, and Kukoc could have done that.
Tuesday’s Big Winner: Tyrann Mathieu
The Honeybadger got the last laugh at those who doubted him on draft day, but had a remarkably poignant remark about the fact that it’s not a Super Bowl win that shows he’s a success, but rather the man that he’s become.
Quick hits: NFL Draft grades and thoughts, LeBron
– Steven Ruiz has rated all of the 2020 NFL Draft classes. FEAST UPON THE GRADES.
– Speaking of Steven, he and our editor Chris Korman have a new NFL podcast called The Counter. Highly recommend for football nerds.
– LeBron James is watching The Last Dance like all of us, and he had a big reaction to watching Jordan win his first title.