Nikola Vučević
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Nikola Vučević ( sr-Cyrl, Никола Вучевић, ; born 24 October 1990) is a Montenegrin professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player for the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
of the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA). He played
college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
for the
USC Trojans The USC Trojans (also Southern California Trojans) are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. While the men's teams are nicknamed the ...
before being drafted 16th overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Vučević, who spent his rookie season with the 76ers, was traded to Orlando Magic before the start of the 2012–13 season as a part of the four-team trade that sent Dwight Howard to the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. He played nine seasons for the Magic and was named an NBA All-Star twice during his tenure with the team. In the middle of the 2020–21 season, the Magic traded Vučević to the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
. Vučević is considered one of the better European players in the NBA today. He is also one of the best rebounders in the NBA. He is ranked second place on the leaderboard for most double-doubles among active NBA players, behind LeBron James.


Early life

Vučević was born in Morges,
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
during the time his professional basketball player father, Boro, played for a club based in nearby
Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...
. The youngster was primarily raised in
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
where the family moved in 1992 when his father signed a professional contract there. Boro Vučević ended up playing professionally for 24 years, a journeyman career with stops in
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
,
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
, and
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
, the highlight of which was being on the KK Bosna roster that won the European Champions Cup in
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
in addition to several Yugoslavia national team appearances, primarily at the 1983 Mediterranean Games in
Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...
,
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
and EuroBasket 1985 in
West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
. Vučević's Serb mother, Ljiljana Kubura, also played basketball professionally as a 6-foot-2 forward for the
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
club Željezničar, as well as for the Yugoslavia women's national team. Furthermore, even Nikola's extended family is immersed in professional sports with his paternal uncle having played professional basketball before going into coaching and his aunt Ljiljana Mugoša who played
handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...
professionally. The Vučević family moved to
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
within the
Serbia and Montenegro The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro, known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and commonly referred to as FR Yugoslavia (FRY) or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Southeast Europe locate ...
state union in 2003 during Nikola's pre teens, settling in the coastal town of Bar, his father's hometown. Identifying youth basketball work in Belgium to be inferior compared to that in the Balkan countries, Boro Vučević's primary motivation for moving the family to Montenegro was giving his talented adolescent son Nikola a better chance at developing his basketball skills during a critical juncture in his basketball development. The youngster began training within KK Mornar's youth system while his father simultaneously took over a youth team coaching post at the club. In January 2006, while returning home to Bar from the KK Mornar youth team winter training in
Kolašin Kolašin (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Колашин, ) is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 2,989 (2003 census). Kolašin is the centre of Kolašin Municipality (population 9,949) and an unofficial centre of Morača region, nam ...
, fifteen-year-old Vučević and his father survived the Bioče derailment, a train crash in Montenegro that killed 47 people and injured nearly 200 others. In 2007, seventeen-year-old Vučević was named Montenegro's Best Young Player.


High school

Vučević moved to
Simi Valley, California Simi Valley (; Chumashan languages, Chumash: ''Shimiyi'') is a city in Simi Valley (valley), the valley of the same name in southeastern Ventura County, California, United States. It is from Downtown Los Angeles, making it part of the Greater ...
in the United States in October 2007 to play his senior year of high school at Stoneridge Prep. He knew little English, but did speak French, which many of his teammates also spoke. Under coach Babacar Sy, a friend of his father's, he was team captain and led the team in scoring and rebounding with 18 points and 12 rebounds per game.


College career

Vučević played three seasons with the Trojans of the
University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
.


Freshman

Vučević missed the first eight games of the season while waiting to have his amateur status confirmed by the NCAA Clearinghouse. He averaged 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 23 games in three starts. Vučević played in his first game with USC on 15 December 2008, against Pepperdine, and had two points, two blocks, and two rebounds in six minutes. He made his first start of the season on 24 January 2009, at
Washington State Washington, officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is often referred to as Washington State to distinguish it from the national capital, both named after George Washington ...
in the Trojans' 46–44 win with a season-high eight points and five rebounds. He also scored eight points on 9 February 2009 at UCLA, and in his second start of the season on 19 February against Washington State. Vučević had a season-best seven rebounds in that game and matched that total on 5 March 2009, vs.
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
. Vučević scored six points and had four rebounds in the NCAA second-round loss to Michigan State on 22 March. In all, he made 57.8 percent of his shots from the field (26-for-45).


Sophomore

Vučević began to excel in his
sophomore In the United States, a sophomore ( or ) is a person in the second year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of Post-secondary school, post-secondary educatio ...
season. He scored 18 points and had eight rebounds in the first game of the season against UC Riverside on 17 November 2009, both totals better than any of his freshman games. Vučević had 18 points and 14 rebounds at Texas on 3 December 2009. He scored a career-high 19 points and had 11 rebounds vs.
Loyola Marymount Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a private Jesuit and Marymount research university in Los Angeles, California. LMU enrolls over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, making it the largest Catholic university on the west coast of the ...
on 21 November 2009, for his first career double-double. He matched his career high with 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting at
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
on 16 January 2010, scoring 17 points in the second half. By the end of the year, he had led USC in scoring five times and in rebounding 20 times, including the last nine games. Overall, he was the second-best scorer and leading rebounder on the Trojans, with 10.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Vučević led the Pac-10 with 283 rebounds and offensive rebounds per game (6.3) and his 39 blocks were the fourth most in the conference. Vučević's .504 shooting percentage (126-for-250) led USC and was seventh best in the Pac-10. Vučević was named the 2009–10 Pac-10 Most Improved Player, and earned all-Pac-10 second team and Pac-10 honorable-mention all-defensive team honors. He had the second-most blocks ever in a season by a Trojan sophomore and the third-most rebounds. Vučević started all 30 games for USC and posted 10 double-doubles.


Junior

As a junior, Vučević averaged 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He was picked to the Fourth Team All-America by
Fox Sports Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The name originates from Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States, which in turn derives its name from Fox Fi ...
and was named to the All-Pac-10 first team. In March 2011, Vučević announced that he would give up his senior year to enter the NBA draft. The website NBAdraft.net projected him as the 23rd pick in the draft. During his three-season career with the Trojans, Vučević averaged 11.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.


Professional career


Budućnost (2011)

On 23 June 2011, Vučević was drafted with the 16th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. During the 2011 NBA lockout, Vučević played for Montenegrin team Budućnost Podgorica.


Philadelphia 76ers (2011–2012)

Following the conclusion of the lockout, Vučević returned to the United States and signed his rookie scale contract with the 76ers on 9 December 2011. On 22 February 2012, Vučević scored a season-high 18 points in a loss to the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
.


Orlando Magic (2012–2021)


2012–13 season

On 10 August 2012, Vučević was traded to the Orlando Magic as a part of the blockbuster four-team deal that sent Dwight Howard to the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. On 31 December 2012, in an overtime loss to the Miami Heat, Vučević set a franchise record with 29 rebounds. On 10 April 2013, he recorded his second straight 20/20 game with a career-high 30 points and 20 rebounds in a 113–103 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.


2013–14 season

On 6 November 2013, Vučević recorded a career-high tying 30 points and 21 rebounds in a 98–90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Vučević's strong play over the second half of the 2013–14 season was noticeable on 28 March 2014 when he dominated the Charlotte Bobcats. He overcame a slow start shooting the ball to finish the game with 24 points and 23 rebounds in an overtime victory. Vučević made nine of his last 11 shots to lead a Magic rally in the second half, while also grabbing 16 first-half rebounds and 10 offensive boards in the game, marking the sixth 20-point, 20-rebound game of his career. On 31 March, Vučević earned his first Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor, after he led the Magic to a 2-1 week. He logged a double-double average with 22.7 points (sixth in the conference) and a league-leading 14.3 rebounds. He posted a point-rebound double-double in all three contests. Vučević became the first Magic player to win the Eastern Player of the Week honors since Dwight Howard in 2012.


2014–15 season

On 23 October 2014, Vučević signed a four-year, $53 million contract extension with the Magic. On 3 April 2015, he scored a career-high 37 points in a 97–84 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.


2015–16 season

On 11 November 2015, Vučević didn't start for the Magic against the Los Angeles Lakers, returning to action after a three-game absence with a right knee contusion. Vučević, who had started all 223 games for the Magic over his four-season tenure, came off the bench for the first time and scored 18 points, including a fallaway 18-footer at the buzzer to lift the Magic over the Lakers 101–99. Vučević averaged 18.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in his first 12 games of December (1–23 December).
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
is the only other Magic player to reach those numbers in one month in franchise history. On 7 February 2016, he scored 22 points and hit an 18-footer at the buzzer to lead the Magic over the Atlanta Hawks 96–94, winning for only the third time in 18 games in 2016. On 23 February, he scored a season-high 35 points in a 124–115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. On 31 March, he returned to action after missing the previous 13 games with a right groin strain. He subsequently came off the bench for just the second in his Magic tenure, as he scored 24 points in a 114–94 win over the Indiana Pacers. He came off the bench for a further three games before returning to the starting line-up on 8 April against the Miami Heat, where he scored a game-high 29 points in a 112–109 win.


2016–17 season

Vučević started in all 16 games for the Magic to start the 2016–17 season, coming off the bench for just the sixth time in his Magic tenure on 27 November 2016 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Vučević continued to come off the bench throughout December, while also missing three games between 10 and 14 December with a back injury. On 20 December, he had a season-high 26 points and 12 rebounds off the bench in a 136–130 double overtime win over the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
. He regained his starting spot in mid-January, and as a result, he hit 13 of 18 shots, scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Magic to a 115–109 victory over the
Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
on 13 January. On 7 February 2017, he had 14 points and a season-high 19 rebounds in a 128–104 loss to the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
. On 11 March 2017, in a 116–104 loss to Cleveland, Vučević had a team-high 20 points and 16 rebounds after missing the previous four games with a sore right Achilles. On 10 April 2017, he grabbed 10 rebounds against Chicago to move ahead of
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
into second place in franchise history, trailing only Dwight Howard.


2017–18 season

On 20 October 2017, Vučević scored a career-high 41 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 126–121 loss to the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
. On 9 December 2017, he recorded his first career triple-double with game highs of 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 117–110 loss to the
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
. He became the first Magic center to record a triple-double with assists—
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
and Dwight Howard each accomplished it with blocks. On 23 December, he suffered a fractured left hand against the Washington Wizards and was subsequently ruled out for six to eight weeks. He returned to action on 22 February 2018, against the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
after missing 23 games, recording 19 points and six rebounds in a 120–113 loss. On 14 March, he recorded 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a 126–117 win over the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
.


2018–19 season

On 20 October 2018, Vučević recorded his second career triple-double with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in a 116–115 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. On 17 November, he had a season-high 36 points and 13 rebounds in a 130–117 win over the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. Eight days later, he had 31 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in a 108–104 win also against the Lakers. Prior to the second match-up against the Lakers, Lakers coach
Luke Walton Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 10 seasons in the NBA as a ...
described Vučević as a "nightmare with" because of the versatility of his offensive game. Following the 108–104 win, Lakers forward LeBron James noted that "He's (Vučević) got our number this year. All you can say." On 19 November, Vučević was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, after leading the Magic to a 3–1 record. It was the first time a Magic player has won the award since 2014, when Vučević himself captured the award for the first time in his NBA career. He averaged 27.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 58.1 percent from the floor and 47 percent from 3-point range. During his stretch of strong play, Vučević became the first Magic player to post at least 28 points and 10 rebounds in three consecutive games since Dwight Howard. He also became the first Magic player to score 30 points in back-to-back games since Victor Oladipo in March 2015. On 6 January 2019, Vučević had 16 points and 24 rebounds in a 106–96 loss to the
Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...
. On 31 January, he received his first All-Star selection in his eight-year career, earning Eastern Conference reserve honors for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. He became the Magic's first All-Star since Howard in 2012. On 17 March, he scored 17 of his 27 points in the first eight minutes of the game and added 20 rebounds in a 101–91 win over the
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
. Vučević helped the Magic go 22–9 over the final 31 games of the season to clinch their first playoff berth since 2012. In game one of the Magic's first-round playoff series against the
Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...
, Vučević scored 11 points in a 104–101 upset victory. They went on to lose to the Raptors in five games.


2019–20 season

Vučević entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. On 6 July 2019, he signed a four-year, $100 million contract to remain with the Magic. On 17 November, Vučević posted 30 points on 11 of 14 shooting, including 3-for-4 from three along with 17 rebounds and six assists in a 125–121 victory against the Washington Wizards, putting up season-highs for points and rebounds while also logging his seventh consecutive double-double and his tenth overall on the season. In his efforts, Vučević set a franchise record for most 30-point, 15-rebound and five-assist games with four, surpassing
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
with three. The following day, Vučević earned his third Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor, after logging a double-double average with 21.7 points, 14.0 rebounds to go along 4.0 assists and 1.33 blocks per game while shooting 54.2 percent overall and 66.7 percent from 3-point range. He led the Magic in scoring and rebounding and sparked its 3–0 record during the week with victories over the Philadelphia 76ers, the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
and the Wizards.


2020–21 season

Though largely credited to a balanced attack, Vučević played a key role in the hot start to the season by the Magic. On 5 February 2021, Vučević scored a career-high 43 points, grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds and dished out 4 assists in a 123–119 win over the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
. He succeeded in two free throw shots with 2.6 seconds left to play, ending the Magic's fourth losing streak. In his efforts, Vučević joined
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
and Dwight Howard as the third player in franchise history to log at least 43 points and 19 rebounds in a game. On 19 February, Vučević logged his third career triple-double with 30 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in a 124–120 win over the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
, becoming the second center (along with
Nikola Jokić Nikola Jokić ( ; sr-Cyrl, Никола Јокић ; born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a Center (basketball), center for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the ...
) to score a 30-point triple-double with zero turnovers since 1985. He also set a franchise record for the most triple-doubles for the center position. On 23 February, Vučević was named an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. At the conclusion of Vučević's time with the Magic, he ranks at or near the top of a number of key categories in the Magic franchise history, including first in all-time field goals made (4,490), second in rebounds (6,381), third in blocks (550), third in points scored (10,423), and fourth in games played (591). He also led the franchise to end its six-year playoff drought and reach the postseason for two straight seasons.


Chicago Bulls (2021–present)


2020–21 season

On 25 March 2021, the Orlando Magic traded Vučević along with Al-Farouq Aminu to the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
in exchange for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and two future first-round picks. Vučević played and started in all 44 games and was averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists, while shooting 40.6% from three-point range and 82.7% from the free throw line with the Magic for the 2020–21 season. He was the fourth leading rebounder in the league at the time. On 27 March, Vučević debuted for the Bulls in a 120–104 loss to the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
, scoring a game-high 21 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out four assists in 32 minutes of action. On 31 March, Vučević logged his first double-double as a Bull with 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 121–116 loss to the Phoenix Suns. On 4 April, Vučević posted his thirty-second double-double of the season and second as a Bull with 22 points and a game-high 13 rebounds along with two assists, two steals and two blocks in a 115–107 win over the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
, ending the Bulls' longest losing streak of the season at six games. Two days later, Vučević tallied 32 points, 17 rebounds, and five assists in a 113–97 victory against the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
, becoming the third player in franchise history to log at least 30 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a game, joining Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol. On 26 April, Vučević logged his third straight double-double and the fortieth of his career with 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 110–102 win over the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
. It was also his tenth double-double in his 18 games as a Bull. After missing two games due to a hip injury, Vučević returned to action on 6 May, recording his sixth consecutive double-double with 29 points and 14 rebounds, in addition to three assists, two steals and a block in a 120–99 victory over the
Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
. The next day, Vučević posted his second triple-double of the season and the fourth of his career with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in a 121–99 win over the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
, becoming the first Bulls player to log a triple-double since Jimmy Butler in 2017.


2021–22 season

On 11 November 2021, Vučević entered the NBA's health and safety protocols after testing positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
. After missing seven games, Vučević made his return on 24 November, posting a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds in a 118–113 loss to the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
. On November 29, Vučević logged 30 points on 6-of-6 shooting from three, in addition to 14 rebounds and five assists in a 133–119 victory over the
Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
, joining Kemba Walker as the only two players in NBA history to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists with a 100% 3-point field goal percentage on at least 5 attempts. On 27 December, Vučević scored 24 points, knocking down four 3-pointers to go along with 17 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks in a 130–118 victory against the
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
, becoming the first player in the league to ever post such stat line. Two days later, Vučević logged a double-double with 16 points and 20 rebounds on 8-of-14 shooting from the field, to go along with one assist, three steals and one block across 33 minutes of play in a win over the Hawks, joining Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler as the third Bulls player to grab at least 20 rebounds in less than 35 minutes of action since Dennis Rodman in the 1990s. On 4 February 2022, Vučević finished with 36 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 122–115 win over the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
, becoming the first Bulls player since
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Ass ...
in 1996 to log 35 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks in a game. On 14 February 2022, Vučević scored 25 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out five assists in a 120–109 win against the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. On 20 April, during Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs, Vučević recorded a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds in a 114–110 win over the reigning champions
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. Bulls would go on to lose to the Bucks in five games.


2022–23 season

On 24 October 2022, Vučević scored 18 points, grabbed 23 rebounds and delivered five assists in a 120–102 win against the reigning Eastern Conference champions
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
. On 29 October 2022, Vučević logged a double-double with 23 points and 19 rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting from three, in a 114–109 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, becoming the first Bulls player with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds and 5 threes in a single game, according to information supplied to the team by the Elias Sports Bureau. It's the second time in his career he has achieved that, and he is one of 38 players in NBA history to do so at least once. On 11 November 2022, Vučević was fined $15,000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture on the playing court. The incident occurred in the first quarter of the Bulls' 115–111 loss to the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Confere ...
on November 9 at
United Center The United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side, Chicago, Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is home to the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL) ...
. On 20 December, Vučević posted 29 points on 13-of-17 shooting from the field and 12 rebounds in a 113–103 win over the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
. On January 6, 2023, Vučević had his fifth career triple-double with 19 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists in a 126–112 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. On January 15, Vučević tied his career high with 43 points, along with 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 132–118 win over the reigning champions
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
.


2023–24 season

On June 28, 2023, Vučević signed a three-year, $60 million contract extension with the Bulls. On November 1, Vučević recorded 21 points and a season-high 20 rebounds in a 114–105 loss against the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
. On March 7, 2024, Vučević scored a season-high 33 points, along with 11 rebounds and 5 assists in a 125–122 win over the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
.


2024–25 season

On January 17, 2025, Vučević scored a season-high 40 points (17 in the fourth quarter) and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 125–123 loss against the
Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
. On February 2, Vučević had his sixth career triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 127–119 loss against the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. On February 22, Vučević became the 44th player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career rebounds. On April 11, Vučević posted a near triple-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in a 119–89 win over the Washington Wizards to help the Bulls clinch the 9th seed in the East Play-In.


National team career

Vučević represented the Montenegro Under-20 team at the
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship The FIBA U20 EuroBasket is the new name for the FIBA U20 European Championship, originally known as the European Championship for Men '22 and Under'. It is a men's youth basketball competition that was inaugurated with the 1992 edition. Through ...
. He then represented the senior
Montenegro national basketball team The Montenegro men's national basketball team () represents Montenegro in international basketball tournaments. The supervising body is the Basketball Federation of Montenegro. Montenegro joined FIBA in 2006, following the restoration of 2006 ...
at FIBA EuroBasket 2011, FIBA EuroBasket 2013 and FIBA EuroBasket 2017. He averaged 5.0 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game in 2011 while backing up Nikola Peković. With Peković out of the 2013 tournament, Vučević started for the team and put up 7.0 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game. Vučević represented Montenegro at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In 5 games, he averaged 14.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, while shooting 47.6% from the field. Vučević returned to represent Montenegro at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In 5 games, he averaged 19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, while shooting 52.7% from the field.


Personal life

In 2016, Vučević married his longtime girlfriend, the sister of former NBA player Aleksandar "Sasha" Pavlović. The couple have three sons. Vučević is an ethnic Serb and a Serbian Orthodox Christian. He speaks French, Serbian and English. Vučević holds dual citizenship with both Montenegro and Belgium. On 2 October 2024, Vučević also became a U.S. citizen. Vučević is a fan of
KK Crvena zvezda Košarkaški klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-Cyrl, Кошаркашки клуб Црвена звезда, ), usually referred to as KK Crvena zvezda or simply Crvena zvezda, currently named Crvena zvezda Meridianbet for sponsorship reasons, is a men ...
, FK Crvena zvezda,
Juventus Juventus Football Club (; from , ), commonly known as Juventus or colloquially as Juve (), is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in Turin, Piedmont, who compete in Serie A, the ...
and Olympique Lyonnais. On 27 December 2021, he was elected on a five-year term as a member of the Assembly for KK Crvena zvezda.


Career statistics


NBA


Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 51 , , 15 , , 15.9 , , .450 , , .375 , , .529 , , 4.8 , , .6 , , .4 , , .7 , , 5.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 77 , , 77 , , 33.2 , , .519 , , .000 , , .683 , , 11.9 , , 1.9 , , .8 , , 1.0 , , 13.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 57 , , 57 , , 31.8 , , .507 , , , , .766 , , 11.0 , , 1.8 , , 1.1 , , .8 , , 14.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 74 , , 74 , , 34.2 , , .523 , , .333 , , .752 , , 10.9 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , .7 , , 19.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 65 , , 60 , , 31.3 , , .510 , , .222 , , .753 , , 8.9 , , 2.8 , , .8 , , 1.1 , , 18.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 75 , , 55 , , 28.8 , , .468 , , .307 , , .669 , , 10.4 , , 2.8 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 14.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 57 , , 57 , , 29.5 , , .475 , , .315 , , .819 , , 9.2 , , 3.4 , , 1.0 , , 1.1 , , 16.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 80 , , 80 , , 31.4 , , .518 , , .364 , , .789 , , 12.0 , , 3.8 , , 1.0 , , 1.1 , , 20.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 62 , , 62 , , 32.2 , , .477 , , .339 , , .784 , , 10.9 , , 3.6 , , .9 , , .8 , , 19.6 , - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2, , style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 44 , , 44 , , 34.1 , , .480 , , .406 , , .827 , , 11.8 , , 3.8 , , 1.0 , , .6 , , 24.5 , - , style="text-align:left;",
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 26 , , 26 , , 32.6 , , .471 , , .388 , , .870 , , 11.5 , , 3.9 , , .9 , , .8 , , 21.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 73 , , 73 , , 33.1 , , .473 , , .314 , , .760 , , 11.0 , , 3.2 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 17.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 82 , , 82 , , 33.5 , , .520 , , .349 , , .835 , , 11.0 , , 3.2 , , .7 , , .7 , , 17.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 76 , , 74 , , 34.3 , , .484 , , .294 , , .822 , , 10.5 , , 3.3 , , .7 , , .8 , , 18.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 73 , , 72 , , 31.2 , , .530 , , .402 , , .805 , , 10.1 , , 3.5 , , .8 , , .7 , , 18.5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 973 , , 908 , , 31.4 , , .497 , , .348 , , .770 , , 10.5 , , 2.9 , , .8 , , .9 , , 17.2 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 2 , , 0 , , 12.5 , , .500 , , .200 , , , , 6.0 , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 4.5


Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 1 , , 0 , , 3.0 , , .000 , , , , .500 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 1.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
, style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 5 , , 5 , , 29.4 , , .362 , , .231 , , .786 , , 8.0 , , 3.0 , , .4 , , 1.0 , , 11.2 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, style="text-align:left;", Orlando , 5 , , 5 , , 37.0 , , .505 , , .409 , , .909 , , 11.0 , , 4.0 , , .8 , , .6 , , 28.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 36.2 , , .440 , , .310 , , .800 , , 12.4 , , 3.2 , , .4 , , 1.2 , , 19.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 16 , , 15 , , 32.3 , , .448 , , .343 , , .813 , , 9.9 , , 3.2 , , .5 , , .9 , , 18.4


College

, - , style="text-align:left;", 2008–09 , style="text-align:left;",
USC USC may refer to: Education United States * Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Santurce, Puerto Rico * University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina ** University of South Carolina System, a state university system of South Carolina * ...
, 23 , , 3 , , 11.0 , , .578 , , .000 , , .875 , , 2.7 , , .3 , , .4 , , .4 , , 2.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:left;", 2009–10 , style="text-align:left;",
USC USC may refer to: Education United States * Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Santurce, Puerto Rico * University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina ** University of South Carolina System, a state university system of South Carolina * ...
, 30 , , 30 , , 32.3 , , .504 , , .222 , , .718 , , 9.4 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , 1.3 , , 10.7 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:left;", 2010–11 , style="text-align:left;",
USC USC may refer to: Education United States * Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Santurce, Puerto Rico * University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina ** University of South Carolina System, a state university system of South Carolina * ...
, 34 , , 34 , , 34.9 , , .505 , , .349 , , .755 , , 10.3 , , 1.6 , , .5 , , 1.4 , , 17.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 87 , , 67 , , 27.7 , , .509 , , .303 , , .746 , , 8.0 , , 1.1 , , .5 , , 1.1 , , 11.1


See also

* List of NBA career rebounding leaders *
List of European basketball players in the United States This is a list of European basketball players who have played in the United States at either professional or NCAA Division I level. It is intended to include players who are currently active, whether inside or outside the U.S., and former player ...
* List of Montenegrin NBA players


References


External links


Nikola Vučević
at draftexpress.com
USC Trojans bio
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vucevic, Nikola 1990 births Living people Sportspeople from Morges 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup players 21st-century Belgian sportsmen ABA League players Belgian men's basketball players Belgian people of Montenegrin descent Belgian people of Serbian descent Centers (basketball) Chicago Bulls players KK Budućnost players Members of the Assembly of KK Crvena zvezda Montenegrin expatriate basketball people in Switzerland Montenegrin expatriate basketball people in the United States Montenegrin men's basketball players 21st-century Montenegrin sportsmen NBA All-Stars NBA players from Montenegro NBA players from Switzerland Orlando Magic players Philadelphia 76ers draft picks Philadelphia 76ers players Serbs of Montenegro USC Trojans men's basketball players