Jusuf Nurkic Father Hariz Nurkic Has A Heroic Story
Jusuf Nurkic was given the nickname “Bosnian Beast” after his father, Hariz Nurkic, famously defeated numerous people in a battle. His father became a hero as a police officer, with media publicising his courageous story.
With his gigantic 7-foot height and huge bulk like a bear, sports enthusiasts got intrigued in his son Jusuf and ended up recruiting him. Jusuf, who inherited his parents’ stature, was dubbed the Bosnian Beast after bashing through his opponents throughout the game.
He was born in Zivinice, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has been a successful NBA player with the Portland Trail Blazers since 2017. However, he was picked by Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2014 draught, becoming the 16th overall pick.
Many of his admirers are aware of his cop father’s role in exposing him to sports. The Blazers centre from Bosnia is excited to see his younger brother join the league soon and believes he will be drafted in the top five.
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Jusuf Nurkic Admired His Policeman Father Hariz Nurkic Even Before His Heroic Event
Jusuf Nurkic of the Blazers has a father that effortlessly stands out in the crowd. He is said to be a police officer in Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
The outstanding athlete had came to the spotlight after his father’s courageous deed that was published in the newspaper. Bosnian sports agent Enes Trnovcevic saw his father’s article in the newspaper, which piqued his interest in learning more about the police officers. According to Opencourt Basketball, Hariz’s information resembled his bravery, strength, and physicality.
The news covered that police officer Nurkic had thrashed 14 people in a scuffle. He weighed 400 pounds and stood seven feet tall.
Thus, the agent did not think twice and raced to the basketball player’s home and asked father Nurkic whether he had a son. Jusuf was only 14 years old then and unfamiliar with sports. But Enes was certain that the mid-teen boy would become an NBA superstar.
The pro athlete recalled the day and said that he appeared to be a typical size, but Trnovcevic predicted that the boy will be playing in the NBA, which made everyone laugh because everyone thought it was crazy.
The Bosnian agency sent the little child to Slovenia for basketball training and gave him a chance to play and grow on the court. As a result, many people believe it is simply luck, whilst others believe it is occasionally necessary to have a superhuman father who can beat up 14 guys at once.
However, when the topic was posed concerning both Jusuf and his father, Hariz skirted it for some time. As a result, some fans felt it was only a myth, but the majority of them believed it after seeing Bosnian police officers in the audience shouting for his kid.
However, when the ESPN reporter asked the Bosnian native NBA player in an online interview, he confirmed that everything he had read about his father on the internet and in the media was real.
Jusuf, Renowned As The Bosnian Beast, Has A Physique Of His Father
Furthermore, the legal executive of the Bosnian police wanted to play basketball, but due to the remarkable size of his leg, which was 22 inches long, there were no suitable shoes for him on the market.
Nonetheless, Hariz’s size and his act in the line of duty deserve credit for introducing one of the NBA’s tallest players. His life altered dramatically after he became involved in athletics and began his professional career.
During the same ESPN interview, the basketball centre announced that his younger brother will also play in the game. Jusuf also complained about his size and the size of his foot from a young age. The current NBA star believes his sibling will be drafted in the top five.
Early Life & Family
Jusuf Nurkik was born on August 23, 1994, in Zinivice, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Jasmine and Hariz Nurkic. His parents are both practising Muslims, and he grew up in a pious household from an early age.
Hariz, his father, works as a police officer in Tuzla. Hariz stands 7 feet 2 inches tall and has a big build. The player aspired to be a basketball player as a young guy but was unable to do it.
Jasmine, Nurkic’s mother, is a housewife. In addition, he has a grandma and a younger brother, Kenan.
Juka was raised in his hometown of Tuzla and attended a local school. As a child, he was of normal height and weight, thus he spent most of his time watching television. Nurkic, unlike his father, had no desire to participate in athletics. He, on the other hand, enjoyed to watch football.
The story of how Nurkic got his start in basketball is fascinating. Enes Trnovcevic, a Bosnian sports agent, discovered his Father through a magazine.
He reached out to Hariz after being moved by senior Nurkic’s narrative. As a result, Enes proposed taking his little kid with him to provide greater basketball training.
Despite their initial reservations, both Father and Son eventually agreed.
Initial Career
Juka struggled to play basketball in his early days because he had no prior experience. He did, however, make some progress and was soon sent to Slovenia to play for the Zlatorog Lasko.
Nurkic spent many years in Slovenia, where he improved as a player. In just a few years, the 14-year-old who had never played basketball before became one of the most promising prospects in Eastern Europe.
He competed in the Nike International Junior Tournament in Belgrade in 2012. He pleased everyone at the Union Olimpija club in Ljubljana, where he played five games.
Throughout the tournament, he averaged 18.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.
He left Zlatorog Lasko after the incident and signed with Cedevita to play in the Croatian basketball league.
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Professional Career
Jusuf’s professional career began in 2012. After leaving Lasko, he joined Croatian club Cedevita for a few months of practise. Nurkic signed a deal with the club in October 2012.
In his debut season, though, he did not see much action. He did not have good stats given that he generally played additional minutes. Furthermore, he featured in six EuroLeague games and averaged only 1.8 points per game.
In the second season, he appeared in a greater number of matches. He achieved fantastic results, as expected. He appeared in 28 Adriatic League games for the team, averaging 11.6 points per game.
In addition, he played in 15 HT Premier Liga games, averaging 11.5 points per game.
Juka’s professional career in Europe was only two years long. Meanwhile, he was loaned to KK Zader and played a few games for them.
NBA Career
Before entering the NBA draught, Jusuf had already garnered international acclaim. However, on June 26, 2014, the Chicago Bulls selected him as the 16th choice in the first round of the draught.
Surprisingly, the club moved him the same night to another NBA team, the Denver Nuggets. On July 31, the Nuggets signed him to a contract. He made his NBA debut against the Detroit Pistons, with five points and seven rebounds.
Nurkic appeared in 62 games for the Nuggets in his debut season, scoring 17 points against the Golden State Warriors. This season, he averaged 6.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
The club renewed his contract for another year on October 11, 2015. However, he was sidelined for about two months due to a tendon injury. In his second season, he appeared in 32 games, averaging 8.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
In the first few games of the 2016-17 season, Nurkic was the club’s starting centre. He set a new career best with 23 points in their season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. He continued to play effectively for the rest of the season.
However, he was replaced by Nikola Jokic and remained on the bench in the season’s final matches. He eventually sought the trade, which the club first refused.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Jusuf Nurkic |
| Date of Birth | August 23, 1994 |
| Birth Place | Zinivice, Bosnia, and Herzegovina |
| Nick Name | The Bosnian Beast, Juka |
| Religion | Islam |
| Nationality | Bosnian |
| Ethnicity | Not available |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Age | 28 years old |
| Height | 2.11 m (6 feet 11 inches) |
| Weight | 290 lb (132 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Hariz Nurkic |
| Mother’s Name | Jasmina Nurkic |
| Siblings | A younger brother, Kenan Nurkic |
| Education | Not available |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Girlfriend’s Name | Emina Duric (engaged: 2021) |
| Kids | None |
| Profession | Professional basketball player |
| Food habit | Non-vegetarian |
| NBA Draft | 2014 |
| Position | center |
| League |
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| Active Years | (2012–present) |
| Clubs He Played For |
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| Net Worth | $4 million |
| Currently Plays For | Portland Trail Blazers (2017- present) |
| Career Highlights & Awards |
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| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
| Merch of Trail Blazers | Notebook, Card, Shorts, Hoodie |
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