Jusuf Nurkic, a 7-foot center that the Suns acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the massive three-team deal that sent superstar Damian Lillard to the Bucks, received some extremely high praise from head coach Frank Vogel on Sunday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After the Suns came from behind, erasing a 16-point deficit against the Washington Wizards, Vogel explained what Nurkic has brought to Phoenix in terms of size, physicality, and his overall presence at the rim.
Here is what Vogel had to say about Jusuf following his performance against the Wizards, which included him grabbing 17 rebounds:
“He was terrific. We’re coaching him hard on what to do on the defensive side of the ball. I think there were some possessions against the Knicks where we felt like he could have attacked the basketball or protected the rim better. Obviously, he’s not going to be flying around out there, but he’s got great size, great hands, and is long. So, we want him to really be a presence at the rim. It wasn’t great against New York, but he was really great in the second half tonight, and not just at the rim, but his mobility in pick-and-rolls. We’re continuing to learn our team and figure out the best way to put them in positions to succeed on both sides. But defensively with (Nurkic), his ability to jump out and just impact the ball at the point of the screen was excellent tonight. He did a great job.”
Standing out from this lengthy statement praising Nurkic was Vogel pointing out that the Suns are still trying to figure out their strengths and how to gel together as a team.
Obviously, the talent is there; however, what Phoenix is lacking is the experience on the court together. Considering that out of the Suns starting five, only Booker and Durant have played together before this year (not even for a season), it has been clear early on that the Suns are still figuring things out.
Not to mention, with all of the injuries Phoenix has endured, it is almost as if there is a different group out on the court every night. This, of course, makes it even more difficult for a team to find a consistent rhythm.
Nevertheless, on the topic of consistency, the Suns have found that in Jusuf Nurkic, who has yet to miss a game this season. While there have been nights that his time has been limited due to foul trouble, Nurkic has played his heart out in all 26 games.
