“They locked me up in another cabin and said, explain the Bulls’ triangle offense to us” – Toni Kukoc recalled an unbelievable train ride with top European coaches originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Before Toni Kukoc came to the NBA and became a global star alongside his Chicago Bulls teammates, he was already one of the biggest and most well-known European basketball names.
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By the age of 22, Kukoc already had a remarkable basketball journey. His resume already included three EuroLeague titles, widely considered the strongest competition after the NBA, two EuroBasket titles, and one FIBA World Cup gold medal, and an Olympic silver medal, where they were stopped by the 1992 Dream Team. Add to that three Final Four EuroLeague MVP awards and MVP titles at EuroBasket and the FIBA World Cup.
The Waiter’s magical assists and moves amazed the world, but behind it all was hard work. None of that would have been possible without being shaped by some of the greatest coaches in European basketball history. There were many, but two stand out the most: Dusan Ivkovic and Zeljko Obradovic, although Obradovic was still Kukoc’s teammate when transitioning into coaching.
Kukoc recalled a train story
The two Serbian coaches are also godfathers and are considered responsible for the meteoric rise of Serbian basketball, which is still dominant today. Kukoc has always been grateful to those who shaped him into the player he became, and on a late-night show in Serbia, he recalled an incredible story involving both.
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“I remember we were at Vlade Divac’s farewell in Prijepolje. We were on a train, having a little drink with cigarettes, hanging around. And Dusan’ Duda’ Ivkovic and Zeljko Obradovic locked me in another cabin. They asked me to explain the Chicago Bulls’ triangle offense. So for almost the entire journey, four to five hours, I talked about how the Bulls’ offense works. And then when you watch their games and recognize a part of it, I feel like I’m part of it, like I revealed the secret to them,” Kukoc recalled.
Phil Jackson’s Bulls had impact even beyond the USA’s borders
The successes Kukoc talks about are no small feat. Today, Obradovic is the most decorated European coach in history with nine EuroLeague titles, gold medals at European and World Championships, and an Olympic silver. Ivkovic is a two-time EuroLeague champion, with three EuroBasket golds, one FIBA World Cup gold, and an Olympic silver.
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Unsurprisingly, Phil Jackson’s Bulls had an incredible impact beyond the USA’s borders. What is remarkable is that someone tried to copy it and succeeded because you need the right players for such a system. Michael Jordan spoke about what it takes for such a system to be effective.
“In the NBA, you need someone who can break away from the system,” Jordan said. “The triangle won’t work without a Michael Jordan or a Kobe Bryant.”
Obradovic and Ivkovic had influence on new generations of coaches
The system’s complexity and sophistication may be illustrated by the fact that an offensive machine like Carmelo Anthony didn’t fit in it, while Kobe Bryant initially resisted it. That makes Jordan’s words carry even more weight.
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But the story doesn’t end there. Throughout Europe, it is well known how much influence Obradovic and Ivkovic had on new generations of coaches, especially in Serbia. So when you watch players like Nikola Jokic leading Serbia, which held a 35-minute lead in the Olympic semifinals against a stacked Team USA, don’t be surprised. The coaches who learned from Obradovic and Ivkovic nurtured players like Jokic.
Years ago, they began absorbing knowledge, and Kukoc’s train story with them is the best proof.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.