"He called me and asked for forgiveness" - Toni Kukoc on how Michael Jordan almost didn't induct him into the Hall of Fame because of his daughter's wedding originally appeared on Basketball Network .
Toni Kukoc waited nearly 15 years to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. The three-time NBA champion with the 1990s Chicago Bulls was one of the key pieces of that era, even winning the 1996 Sixth Man of the Year award.
Many expected it to happen much earlier, just like the retirement of his No. 7 jersey. While jersey retiring may never come, in 2021 Kukoc finally received basketball's greatest honor: induction into basketball immortality.
He had long ago chosen the man who would present him, his championship teammate, Michael Jordan . But it didn't go quite as smoothly as planned.
"We agreed on everything a long time ago," Kukoc said for a Croatian news site Index.hr. "He promised me he'd be the one to present me at the HOF. Years went by, and when I found out it was finally happening, I sent him a message asking if that promise still stood. He replied with a short message: 'If I promised you, then you know there's no problem.'"
"However, it turned out his daughter's wedding was scheduled for September 11," the Croatian legend continued . "He called me and asked for forgiveness, saying he had to walk his daughter down the aisle. Of course, I didn't hold that against him; his daughter obviously means more than I. But about ten days later, he reached out again and told me the wedding was canceled due to COVID and asked if the invitation still stood. Of course it did. He got on a plane and flew over."
Jordan was famously tough on teammates, but Kukoc's story perfectly shows just how much he valued them, knowing he wouldn't have won six titles without them.
Their bond, which lasts to this day, was truly formed in 1993, when Kukoc earned MJ's respect with one gesture .
"The thing that I respect the most about Toni Kukoc... I retired in 1993. I never spent any time with Toni Kukoc other than playing against him in 1992," the Bulls legend saidn . "He showed up at the press conference and when I was leaving, he literally cried because we never had an opportunity to play. That earned my respect and camaraderie."
Greatness recognizes greatness. Kukoc arrived as the best player outside the NBA at the time. Jordan was the best in the world. But both quickly put their egos aside in pursuit of a higher goal — the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Jordan was well aware of the uncut gem the Bulls had added to their roster. Kukoc's talent took that team to a whole new level and by showing up to his Hall of Fame ceremony, MJ gave his final stamp of approval to the greatness of the Croatian maestro.
After The Last Dance documentary, many felt that Kukoc didn't get the credit he deserved, especially compared to players like Steve Kerr, who received significantly more attention. But Kukoc didn't seem too bothered by it.
When it came time to induct Kukoc into the Hall of Fame, Jordan flew in just for that occasion — he stayed for only two hours before flying back. It was yet another sign of the mutual love and respect between two basketball greats.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
