Toni Kukoc's 1996-96 campaign should've secured him his first NBA All-Star appearance

Toni Kukoc helped the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls be nearly unbeatable during the regular season and dominant throughout the playoffs. However, even that wasn't enough for the Croatian to make his first NBA All-Star Game.

72-10

The Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, ultimately won the NBA Championship in 1996, cementing the team’s legacy as one of the greatest ever. The Bulls went 72-10 in the regular season, and Kukoc’s sacrifice had much to do with their historic run.

Kukoc started 55 games in the 1994-95 season, but having Jordan back for a full season, and the addition of Rodman, meant he would have to come off the bench. Being the Bulls’ Sixth Man wasn’t a role Kukoc liked initially. The talented forward made it known that he preferred to be a starter, but he embraced the opportunity to make an impact off the bench over time.

“Phil always said it wasn’t important who started the game, it was important who played that last quarter,” Kukoc said. “Especially in some of those important games, I played a lot in the fourth quarter. I realized that coming off the bench was actually a good thing, even though I wouldn’t likely become an All-Star doing it. I may not have always played 30 minutes a game, but at the same time, I would have never traded an All-Star appearance for a championship.”