10 Things To Like About Jusuf Nurkic
Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
On Wednesday, the Denver Nuggets traded Timofey Mozgov to the Cleveland Cavaliers for two first round picks. Rookie big man, Jusuf Nurkic, was already kicking ass for the Nuggets before the trade — 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.0 steals on 50 percent shooting in his last 10 games — but this now puts the Nurkic Show on full blast.
Here’s ten reasons to be excited:
- He’s tough and effective. Bosnians aren’t exactly known as a delicate bunch and Nurkic is no exception to the rule. The 6-foot-11, 280-pound big man revels in physicality and shows a sense of fearlessness that belies his short tenure in the league.
- He’s a sponge. Nurkic has only been playing the game for five years. While he’s proven to be more nimble than scouts anticipated, a lot of his success comes from excellent instincts and positioning. This is especially true when it comes to rebounding and getting buckets in the post. His rapid ascent up the depth chart has of course been expedited by injuries but a lot of the rise has to do with undeniable talent and lightning quick adaptability.
- He treats rebounds like pac-dots, swallowing up everything he gets his hands on. Nurkic’s combination of sound fundamentals, strength, length and instinct is quite the dandy little glass-cleaning cocktail. His rebounding rate is first among rookies and his defensive rebounding rate is 10th overall in the league.
- Stone hands. They have been the death of many-a-big man in this league but not ol’ Jusuf – that guy’s mitts are Charmin soft.
- He’s feisty. There are a few things that I like about his demeanor:
- He cares, a lot. He reportedly cried after a PRE-SEASON game because he felt he let his teammates down.
- He’s got a nasty streak
- He’s wildly entertaining. See below.
- His feet. His reputation coming into the draft was that he was someone who, despite his absurd efficiency and productiveness, was a below-average athlete. He’s not a blazer but he’s been much mobile than expected. More impressively, however, is his precocious footwork in the post.
- He’s not even the biggest dude in his own family. His 7-foot, 400-pound father was a riot police officer in Bosnia. If I see this dude’s family heading towards my buffet, I’m quickly locking the doors. See Papa Nurkic engulfing a beer stein below.
- Defensive potential. He’s racking up the frequent fouler miles early on but the defensive numbers while he’s on the court are damn impressive. The Nuggets are a whopping 11.5 points better per 100 defensive possessions with Nurkic on the court.
- Passing skills. Is there anything sexier than a big man who can hand out dimes? Well, yes, but still. Just ask the Grizzles how nice it is to have a hulking big who can facilitate from the high post.
- Most importantly, helps his team win games. His 18.68 Player Efficiency Rating is the highest among rookies and the Nuggets are a much better team when he’s on the basketball court.
Bonus Round
Nurkic is leading the Balkan train to Denver. Nurkic isn’t the only talented guy from one of the former Yugoslav states making noise in the basketball world. The Nuggets also drafted Serbian big man Nikola Jokic in the second round of this year’s draft. Jokic is not an explosive athlete but he’s super skilled — in a funky, old man at the Y kind of way — possesses a 7-foot-3 wingspan and can shoot the three. Right now the 19-year old is laying waste to the Adriatic league to the tune of 14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks a game. He’s not ready yet but it’s easy to envision those two forming a super skilled combo down the road.
Quick reality check: Of course Nurkic still has a ton to learn. He has nice touch but he tends to rush the process. Moreover, he has a hard time staying on the court because he is committing 7.5 personal fouls per 36 minutes at the moment. ‘Turn Down for What?’ is pretty much this guy’s motto on the court. While it’s super entertaining, it’s also clear that he still has some maturing to do.