Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) is settling in with his new team. Ron Chenoy USA TODAY NETWORK
Another outing sporting the Charlotte Hornets’ uniform is complete, and Jusuf Nurkic sits at the stall in front of his locker, chatting it up while staring down at the iPhone that rests easily in the palm of his hands.
Nurkic remains deep in conversation, discussing things in his native language as he prepares to ready himself for a walk to the team bus, headed back to the hotel for some rest and relaxation.
It’s a snapshot of the things he can do now, a benefit of being sent to the Hornets from the Phoenix Suns in February in an NBA trade deadline day deal. Gone are the days of toiling in the Mountain Time Zone, and those late Pacific Time Zone nights.
“I’m excited to be on the East Coast, closer to my home,” said Nurkic, who is from Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Obviously, shorter flights, shorter time zones. So, everybody even back home is happy they don’t have to wake up at 4 in the morning and watch the games. They’ve been really happy about that. And hopefully we can build something really special here.”
A versatile role
Since landing with the Hornets, a move initially made out of necessity due to the now-rescinded Mark Williams trade, Nurkic has been plugged into the Hornets’ center rotation and asked to do more than a few things.
Whether it’s with the starting unit when Williams doesn’t suit up, or coming off the bench like he did in Sunday night’s 122-105 loss to the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center — a result that officially eliminated Charlotte from playoff contention for the ninth straight season — he’s someone coach Charles Lee counts on to add a different element to the Hornets’ rotation.
“He plays hard, he competes.” Lee said. “I think defensively he’s kind of thrown around his body and his physicality, and he understands how to be up in the pick-and-roll and how to get himself back. He just understands positioning pretty well. And then offensively he gives us a threat. Sometimes he can rebound it and bring it up the floor, and it creates matches early in a possession.”
That’s not all.
“His decision-making, his ability to pass is really good,” Lee added. “And then offensively as well, being able to throw the ball down to him and knowing he’s going to make the right decision. He’s either going to get fouled, he’s going to get a good look or he’s kicking it out to shooters. So, his impact has been felt in a lot of different ways.”
Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks guard Terance Mann (14) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Jim Dedmon Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Keeping the faith
Over the past few weeks, Nurkic is digging even deeper, doing what he can to even possess the energy to log his usual amount of minutes. But it’s a testament to his devotion and knowledge about how to keep it together during the special religious period he’s currently immersed in.
Nurkic is observing Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and a period of fasting, reflection and prayer for Muslims. He’s used to it, though, and insists he doesn’t have to alter things all that much.
“Personally, I just try to act like normal,” Nurkic said, “try to live life normal, workout normal, play the game normal. The last time I eat is early in the morning and it’s 11 p.m. almost. So, when I go back to the hotel I’m going to get some food first thing. But it’s OK. It’s more about water and the hydration part. Just try to drink as much water as you can before you start to fast, drink more liquids because it puts your body in position not to cramp or injure yourself.”
The message during this period for Nurkic extends well beyond athletics.
“That’s the biggest takeaway from Ramadan,” Nurkic said. “But it’s just more of making your life humble in a way and see what people go through who don’t have food or (eat) one meal a day. It just makes you a better human being and a better person. And Ramadan is all for that.
“It will make you more at peace and believe that everything you do you can do better. As far as the game, it doesn’t change. You are dialed in and you have to play the way coach wants. And I’m really trying to buy into that.”
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) is defended by Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) during the first half at Kaseya Center. Rhona Wise USA TODAY NETWORK
Drawing on experience
Nurkic is also occasionally delivering messages from his own decade-plus of NBA experience.
“He’s done a great job of picking and choosing his moments to impart his wisdom, which has been really good for our group,” Lee said. “He’s been in a lot of situations, he’s been on a lot of different teams. So, he knows what helps you win and what gets you beat.
“And he’s able to communicate that in a really good way, a positive way with our players. And they appreciate it and so does the coaching staff.”
That goes for the Hornets’ longest-tenured player, too.
“He’s been on different playoff teams, he’s been deep in the playoffs,” Miles Bridges said. “So, Nurk is another veteran presence that we need in the locker room.”
Words that are surely music to the 30-year-old’s ears.
From the moment Nurkic got to the Hornets, he’s felt like he’s wanted. That wasn’t necessarily the case during his final weeks in Phoenix, making him expendable, and the level of acceptance he’s received with the Hornets leaves him encouraged.
“It’s obviously a different situation,” Nurkic said. “Sometimes, it’s good for players to change situations, change teams. But just being in a respectful environment, usually the response is good. So we are still learning each other — the coaches, team. The organization is still learning me and I’m learning the organization, getting a feel for each other in our evaluations and stuff.
“But so far, so good.”
The Charlotte Observer
Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly. Support my work with a digital subscription
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