In the 90s, the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA like no other team in NBA history. Led by Michael Jordan, who many fans consider to be the greatest of all time, the Bulls won 6x NBA championships in a decade. However, apart from Jordan, the Bulls’ top brass had constructed some of the best rosters of all-time. However, a crucial piece of those all-time rosters faced major pushback from everyone at the Bulls when he first arrived in the NBA.

In the early 90s, Toni Kukoc was the most exciting up-and-coming player in the world. With the entire league willing to move heaven and earth to acquire the rights to the European star, the then-head coach of the Bulls, Phil Jackson, didn’t hesitate to speak his mind amid the chaos.

Phil Jackson’s fierce ultimatum to star rookie Kukoc

During the 80s and 90s, the Chicago Bulls boasted the crown of having the best of everything; the best players, the best offense, the best defense, coaching, and management. Indeed, despite the controversial stories passed down over the decades, the top brass of the Bulls was one of the most competent at the time. But Jerry Krause’s conflicting relationship with the players, especially Jordan and Scottie Pippen, caused a lot of tension in the locker room.

However, one time, the friction between MJ and Krause involving Toni Kukoc caused mayhem in the team, resulting in the legendary Phil Jackson losing it. Toni Kukoc was the poster boy for Krause’s nefarious agendas to subside Jordan’s influence on the team. Unsurprisingly, ‘His Airness’ knew that well and leading up to the 1993 season, the team was in total chaos.

According to Sam Smith, who wrote the infamous Jordan Rules, the tumultuous environment before Kukoc’s arrival in Chicago affected Jackson severely. The Hall of Fame head coach resented Kukoc and the Bulls’ organization for the complex situation. Moreover, he also believed Kukoc was just using them to increase his stock in the league. However, despite his reservations about the 6’10” forward, Jackson was forced to meet him and promise playing time at Krause’s command.

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Consequently, after reluctantly agreeing, Jackson, who met Kukoc, had the most bizarre exchange ever. According to Smith, despite Jackson’s offering, the European star hesitated with his intentions. Following which, enraged and fed up, Jackson said,?“Listen Kid, enough of this. Either shit or get off the pot.”

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However, despite the heated exchange, Jackson and the Bulls welcomed Kukoc with open arms in the 1993-94 NBA season; as they say, the rest is history. Kukoc helped the team with their second thee-peat and went down in the basketball Hall of Fame.?