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. He was chosen 16th overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Vučević played his first NBA season with the 76ers. He was then traded to the Orlando Magic before the 2012–13 season. This trade was a big four-team deal that also sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. Vučević played nine seasons for the Magic. During that time, he was named an NBA All-Star twice. In the middle of the 2020–21 season, the Magic traded Vučević to the Chicago Bulls.

Early Life and Family Background

Vučević was born in Morges, Switzerland. His father, Boro, was a professional basketball player there. Nikola grew up mostly in Belgium, where his family moved in 1992. In 2003, his family moved to Montenegro, settling in Bar. His father believed that Montenegro offered better basketball training for young players. Nikola started training with the KK Mornar youth team.

In January 2006, when he was fifteen, Nikola and his father survived a train crash in Montenegro. In 2007, Vučević was named Montenegro's Best Young Player.

High School Basketball Journey

In October 2007, Vučević moved to Simi Valley, California in the United States. He played his senior year of high school at Stoneridge Prep. He didn't know much English but spoke French, which helped him connect with teammates. He was the team captain and led his team in scoring and rebounding. He averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per game.

College Career at USC

Vučević playing for the USC Trojans in 2010

Vučević with the USC Trojans in 2011

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

Freshman Year (2008–09)

Vučević missed the first eight games of his freshman season. He was waiting for his amateur status to be confirmed. He played in 23 games, averaging 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds. He made his first start in January 2009. He scored a season-high eight points twice and had seven rebounds twice. He made 57.8 percent of his shots.

Sophomore Year (2009–10)

Vučević started to play much better in his second year. He scored 18 points and had eight rebounds in his first game. He scored a career-high 19 points and had 11 rebounds against Loyola Marymount. He led USC in rebounding 20 times that season.

Overall, he was the second-best scorer and top rebounder for the Trojans. He averaged 10.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He led the Pac-10 conference in rebounds. Vučević 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 games where he scored double-digits in both points and rebounds.

Junior Year (2010–11)

As a junior, Vučević averaged 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He was chosen for the All-Pac-10 first team. In March 2011, Vučević decided to leave college early to enter the NBA draft. During his three years at USC, he averaged 11.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

Professional Basketball Journey

Starting with Budućnost (2011)

On June 23, 2011, the Philadelphia 76ers picked Vučević as the 16th player in the 2011 NBA draft. During an NBA lockout that year, Vučević played for a Montenegrin team called Budućnost Podgorica.

Philadelphia 76ers (2011–2012)

After the lockout ended, Vučević came back to the United States. He signed his first NBA contract with the 76ers in December 2011. In February 2012, he scored a season-high 18 points in a game against the Houston Rockets.

Orlando Magic (2012–2021)

Vučević playing for the Orlando Magic in 2012

In August 2012, Vučević was traded to the Orlando Magic. This was part of a big trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers.

2012–13 Season Highlights

On December 31, 2012, Vučević set a Magic team record with 29 rebounds in a game. In April 2013, he had an amazing game with 30 points and 20 rebounds. This was his second game in a row with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds.

2013–14 Season Highlights

In November 2013, Vučević tied his career high with 30 points and had 21 rebounds. In March 2014, he had another strong game with 24 points and 23 rebounds. He earned his first Eastern Conference Player of the Week award. He was the first Magic player to win this award since Dwight Howard in 2012.

2014–15 Season Highlights

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

2015–16 Season Highlights

In November 2015, Vučević came off the bench for the first time in his Magic career. He scored 18 points, including a game-winning shot at the buzzer. In February 2016, he scored a season-high 35 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.

2016–17 Season Highlights

Vučević continued to play well for the Magic. In December 2016, he had 26 points and 12 rebounds coming off the bench. In January 2017, he scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. In April 2017, he passed Shaquille O'Neal to become second in rebounds in Magic team history. Only Dwight Howard had more.

2017–18 Season Highlights

In October 2017, Vučević scored a new career-high of 41 points and had 12 rebounds. In December 2017, he achieved his first career triple-double with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. A triple-double means getting double-digit numbers in three different stats. He was the first Magic center to get a triple-double with assists. He later missed 23 games due to a fractured left hand.

2018–19 Season Highlights

In October 2018, Vučević recorded his second career triple-double. He had 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. In November, he had a season-high 36 points and 13 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers coach Luke Walton called him a "nightmare to match up with" because of his skills. Vučević was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week again.

In January 2019, he was chosen for his first NBA All-Star team. He was the Magic's first All-Star since Dwight Howard in 2012. Vučević helped the Magic make the playoffs for the first time since 2012. They won their first playoff game against the Toronto Raptors but lost the series in five games.

2019–20 Season Highlights

Vučević setting a screen in a 2020 game

In July 2019, Vučević signed a new four-year contract to stay with the Magic. In November, he had 30 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists. He set a team record for most games with at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. He earned his third Eastern Conference Player of the Week award.

2020–21 Season Highlights

In February 2021, Vučević scored a career-high 43 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. He joined Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard as the only Magic players to have at least 43 points and 19 rebounds in a game. Later that month, he got his third career triple-double with 30 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was named an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.

When he left the Magic, Vučević was among the top players in many team records. He was first in field goals made, second in rebounds, and third in points scored. He also helped the team reach the playoffs for two seasons in a row.

Chicago Bulls (2021–Present)

2020–21 Season with Bulls

In March 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 at the time. He was the fourth-best rebounder in the league. In his first game for the Bulls, he scored 21 points. In April, he had 32 points, 17 rebounds, and five assists in a win. He became only the third Bulls player to have at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a game. In May, he recorded his fourth career triple-double. He was the first Bulls player to get a triple-double since Jimmy Butler in 2017.

2021–22 Season with Bulls

Vučević playing against Deni Avdija in 2022

In November 2021, Vučević missed seven games after testing positive for COVID-19. When he returned, he continued to play well. In November, he scored 30 points, had 14 rebounds, and five assists, making all six of his three-point shots. In December, he became the first player in the league to have 24 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks in a game. In February 2022, he had 36 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. He was the first Bulls player since Michael Jordan in 1996 to have such a game.

In the 2022 playoffs, Vučević had 24 points and 13 rebounds in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls eventually lost the series.

2022–23 Season with Bulls

Vučević blocking a shot in 2022

In October 2022, Vučević scored 18 points, grabbed 23 rebounds, and gave five assists in a win against the Boston Celtics. He also became the first Bulls player to have at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and five three-pointers in a single game. In January 2023, he had his fifth career triple-double. He scored 19 points, had 18 rebounds, and 10 assists. Later that month, he tied his career high with 43 points, along with 13 rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

2023–24 Season with Bulls

In June 2023, Vučević signed a new three-year contract with the Bulls. In November, he recorded 21 points and a season-high 20 rebounds. In March 2024, he scored a season-high 33 points, along with 11 rebounds and 5 assists.

2024–25 Season with Bulls

In January 2025, Vučević scored a season-high 40 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. In February, he had his sixth career triple-double. He reached 10,000 career rebounds, becoming the 44th player in NBA history to do so. In April, he helped the Bulls secure a spot in the play-in tournament.

Playing for His Country

Vučević has played for the Montenegro national basketball team. He played in the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. He also represented the senior team in FIBA EuroBasket 2011, FIBA EuroBasket 2013, and FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

He played for Montenegro in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He averaged 14.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He also represented Montenegro at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, averaging 19.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Personal Life and Family

Nikola's father, Borislav Vučević, played professional basketball for 24 years. He played in Yugoslavia, Switzerland, and Belgium. He was part of the KK Bosna team that won the European Champions Cup in 1979. Nikola's mother, Ljiljana Kubura, also played professional basketball. She played for the Sarajevo club Željezničar and for the Yugoslavia women's national team. Nikola's uncle, Savo Vučević, also played and coached basketball. His aunt, Ljiljana Mugoša, played professional handball.

In 2016, Vučević married his longtime girlfriend. She is the sister of former NBA player Aleksandar "Sasha" Pavlović. They have three sons.

Vučević 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, Vučević also became a U.S. citizen.

Vučević is a fan of several sports teams, including KK Crvena zvezda, FK Crvena zvezda, Juventus, and Olympique Lyonnais.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

See also

In Spanish: Nikola Vučević para niños

• List of NBA career rebounding leaders
• List of European basketball players in the United States
• List of Montenegrin NBA players