Nikola Vučević facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nikola Vučević

Vučević with the Orlando Magic in 2013
No. 9 – Chicago Bulls
Center
Personal information
Born	(1990-10-24) 24 October 1990 (age 34) Morges, Switzerland
Nationality	Montenegrin / Belgian / American
High school	Stoneridge Preparatory (Simi Valley, California)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	USC (2008–2011)
NBA Draft	2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Pro career	2011–present
League	NBA
Career history
2011	Budućnost
2011–2012	Philadelphia 76ers
2012–2021	Orlando Magic
2021–present	Chicago Bulls
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA All-Star (2019, 2021) AP honorable mention All-American (2011) First-team All-Pac-10 (2011) Second-team All-Pac-10 (2010)

Nikola Vučević (born October 24, 1990) is a professional basketball player from Montenegro. He plays as a center for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the USC Trojans.

Vučević was picked 16th overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He played one season with the 76ers. Then, he was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2012. He spent nine seasons with the Magic and was chosen as an NBA All-Star twice. In 2021, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls.

Early Life and Family Background

Nikola Vučević was born in Morges, Switzerland. His father, Boro, was also a professional basketball player. His family moved to Belgium in 1992, where he grew up. His father played basketball for 24 years in different countries. Nikola's mother, Ljiljana Kubura, also played professional basketball and was part of the Yugoslavia women's national team.

In 2003, his family moved to Montenegro. They settled in Bar, his father's hometown. His father wanted Nikola to get better basketball training there. Nikola started training with the KK Mornar youth team. In 2006, when he was 15, Nikola and his father survived a train crash in Montenegro. In 2007, Nikola was named Montenegro's Best Young Player.

High School Basketball

In October 2007, Vučević moved to Simi Valley, California in the United States. He played his final year of high school basketball at Stoneridge Prep. He was the team captain and led his team in scoring and rebounding. He averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per game.

College Basketball Career

Vučević guarding Jamal Boykin in a January 2010 game

Vučević with the USC Trojans in February 2011

Vučević played three seasons for the Trojans at the University of Southern California.

Freshman Year (2008-2009)

As a freshman, Vučević played in 23 games. He averaged 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds. He made 57.8 percent of his shots.

Sophomore Year (2009-2010)

Vučević improved a lot in his sophomore year. He scored 18 points and had 8 rebounds in his first game. He also had his first "double-double" (double digits in two stats) with 19 points and 11 rebounds. He led USC in rebounding 20 times that season.

He averaged 10.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He was named the Pac-10 Most Improved Player. He also earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors. He started all 30 games and had 10 double-doubles.

Junior Year (2010-2011)

In his junior year, Vučević averaged 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He was named to the All-Pac-10 first team. In March 2011, he decided to leave college early to enter the NBA draft. During his college career, he averaged 11.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

Professional Basketball Career

Budućnost (2011)

On June 23, 2011, Nikola Vučević was picked 16th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2011 NBA draft. During an NBA lockout (when players couldn't play in the NBA), he played for the Montenegrin team Budućnost Podgorica.

Philadelphia 76ers (2011–2012)

After the lockout ended, Vučević joined the 76ers. On February 22, 2012, he scored a season-high 18 points.

Orlando Magic (2012–2021)

Joining the Magic (2012-2013)

Vučević with the Orlando Magic in December 2012

On August 10, 2012, Vučević was traded to the Orlando Magic. This was part of a big trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. On December 31, 2012, Vučević set a Magic team record with 29 rebounds in one game. On April 10, 2013, he had 30 points and 20 rebounds in a win.

Strong Play (2013-2014)

On November 6, 2013, Vučević tied his career high with 30 points and 21 rebounds. On March 28, 2014, he had 24 points and 23 rebounds in an overtime win. He earned his first Eastern Conference Player of the Week award on March 31. He was the first Magic player to win this award since Dwight Howard in 2012.

Contract Extension and Career High (2014-2015)

On October 23, 2014, Vučević signed a four-year contract extension with the Magic. On April 3, 2015, he scored a career-high 37 points in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Coming Off the Bench (2015-2016)

On November 11, 2015, Vučević came off the bench for the first time in his Magic career. He scored 18 points and hit a game-winning shot against the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 18.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in December. On February 23, 2016, he scored a season-high 35 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Continued Success (2016-2017)

Vučević attempts a mid-range shot as former Magic Dwight Howard defends in a February 2017 game

Vučević continued to play well for the Magic. On December 20, he had 26 points and 12 rebounds in a double-overtime win. On January 13, he scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. By April 10, 2017, he moved into second place in Magic history for total rebounds, behind only Dwight Howard.

First Triple-Double (2017-2018)

On October 20, 2017, Vučević scored a career-high 41 points and had 12 rebounds. On December 9, 2017, he recorded his first career "triple-double" (double digits in three stats) with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was the first Magic center to get a triple-double with assists. He missed 23 games due to a fractured left hand but returned in February 2018.

First All-Star Selection (2018-2019)

On October 20, 2018, Vučević had his second career triple-double with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. On November 17, he scored a season-high 36 points. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on November 19. On January 31, he was selected for his first NBA All-Star Game. He was the Magic's first All-Star since Dwight Howard in 2012. Vučević helped the Magic reach the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

New Contract and More Awards (2019-2020)

Vučević setting a screen against Isaiah Thomas in a January 2020 game

On July 6, 2019, Vučević signed a new four-year contract with the Magic. On November 17, he had 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists. He set a Magic record for most games with at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. He earned his third Eastern Conference Player of the Week award the next day.

Final Season with Magic (2020-2021)

On February 5, 2021, Vučević scored a career-high 43 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. He became only the third player in Magic history to have at least 43 points and 19 rebounds in a game. On February 19, he got his third career triple-double with 30 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. On February 23, he was named an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.

By the time he left the Magic, Vučević was one of the top players in team history. He ranked first in field goals made, second in rebounds, and third in points scored. He also helped the team reach the playoffs for two seasons.

Chicago Bulls (2021–Present)

Joining the Bulls (2020-2021)

On March 25, 2021, the Orlando Magic traded Vučević to the Chicago Bulls. He was averaging 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game with the Magic that season. On March 27, Vučević played his first game for the Bulls, scoring 21 points. On April 6, he had 32 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 assists in a win. He was the third Bulls player ever to achieve such stats in a game. On May 7, he recorded his second triple-double of the season and fourth of his career.

Continuing to Lead (2021-2022)

Vučević battling Deni Avdija at the rim in a January 2022 game.

On November 11, 2021, Vučević had to miss games after testing positive for COVID-19. He returned on November 24. On November 29, he scored 30 points, made 6 three-pointers, and had 14 rebounds and 5 assists. He was one of only two players in NBA history to have at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists while making all 5+ three-point attempts. On December 27, he became the first player in the league to have 24 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks in a game. On February 4, 2022, he had 36 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. He was the first Bulls player since Michael Jordan in 1996 to achieve such numbers. The Bulls made the playoffs, but lost in five games.

More Milestones (2022-2023)

Vučević attempts to block Kristaps Porziņģis’ in a match against the Washington Wizards on October 21, 2022.

On October 24, 2022, Vučević scored 18 points, grabbed 23 rebounds, and had 5 assists against the Boston Celtics. On October 29, he had 23 points and 19 rebounds, including 5 three-pointers. He was the first Bulls player to have at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 three-pointers in a game. On January 6, 2023, Vučević had his fifth career triple-double with 19 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists. On January 15, he tied his career high with 43 points, along with 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.

Recent Seasons (2023-Present)

On June 28, 2023, Vučević signed a new three-year contract with the Bulls. On November 1, he recorded 21 points and a season-high 20 rebounds. On March 7, 2024, he scored a season-high 33 points, along with 11 rebounds and 5 assists. On January 17, 2025, he scored a season-high 40 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

National Team Career

Vučević has played for the Montenegro national basketball team. He played in the FIBA EuroBasket tournaments in 2011, 2013, and 2017. He also represented Montenegro in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In the 2023 World Cup, he averaged 19.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Personal Life

In 2016, Vučević married his longtime girlfriend. They have three sons. He is an ethnic Serb and a Serbian Orthodox Christian. He speaks French, Serbian, and English. He has dual citizenship with Montenegro and Belgium. On October 2, 2024, he also became a U.S. citizen.

Vučević is a fan of several sports clubs, including KK Crvena zvezda (basketball), FK Crvena zvezda (football), Juventus (football), and Olympique Lyonnais (football).

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Images for kids

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  Vučević with the Orlando Magic in 2013

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  Vučević with the Orlando Magic in December 2012

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  Vučević attempts a mid-range shot as former Magic Dwight Howard defends in a February 2017 game

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  Vučević setting a screen against Isaiah Thomas in a January 2020 game

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  Vučević battling Deni Avdija at the rim in a January 2022 game.

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  Vučević attempts to block Kristaps Porziņģis in a match against the Washington Wizards on October 21, 2022.