Among all the other adjustments Toni Kukoc must make these days is coping with the often rude indoctrination most rookies receive from NBA referees.
Kukoc has neither drawn very many fouls nor gotten away with anything, and it has been noticeably bothering him.
“I know this is my first year playing in the NBA, but it’s not that easy,” he said. “In Europe, it’s not the same. Here, when you’re new, you’re new for everybody-players, referees, the crowd, everyone . . . it’s strange.”
Bulls coach Phil Jackson said it is beginning to hurt Kukoc’s game.
“What I’ve had to remind him about is not dropping his head, (that he has) to run back to the other end of the court because he has the tendency to stop playing,” Jackson said.
“He doesn’t quit, but he goes back to the other end of the court with a low energy level, whether it’s offense or defense, whether the guy has scored on him or he gets a bad call. So we’re trying to get him to play right through those things. That’s where I think his progress is going to come. When he starts doing that, he’s going to really become a good player.”
Might it help Kukoc to pick up a technical once in a while, just to show he’s not intimidated?
“Drazen Petrovic was a guy who let the ref have it if he didn’t like the call,” Jackson said. “He wasn’t above getting a technical, and Vlade Divac is the same way.
“Most of these kids who have come over from foreign countries have anger, and I think it will only take Toni a matter of time before he does the same thing. I’m hoping it’s six, eight, 10 games down the line. Right now he’s still adjusting, he’s still surprised. Pretty soon he’s going to understand maybe it’s vengeful or a rookie thing.”
Kukoc doubts he’ll lose his temper on a regular basis. “Maybe they’re just trying to see what kind of reaction I have,” he said. “I’m not going to do any stupid thing.”
And just to make sure the refs don’t get the wrong idea, Kukoc said: “I have nothing against referees. Actually, almost every game some of the referees ask me how I’m doing. The last one said, `It will be better next year.’ “
