By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Jusuf Nurkic is returning to the senior national team of Bosnia-Herzegovina for a second EuroBasket appearance. After the end of the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, he confirmed plans to suit up for his country in the EuroBasket 2025.
“I’m looking forward to play,” the 30-year-old center of the Charlotte Hornets stressed in an end-of-season press conference on Monday, “We have a really good group of people and players. I really believe we can do special things there. We have a minimum of five games, and we go from there. We may start camp in July, and competition starts in August.”
In Limassol, his country will face host Cyprus on August 28 before moving on to Spain, Italy, Greece, and Georgia until September 4. The top four seeds of Group C will advance to the Round of 16 and shift from pool play to single-eliminating games in Riga, starting from September 6.
“It’s a special feeling. No one can pay you or buy you that feeling. You have to experience it in your own way. For me, it’s a blessing, and I am looking forward to doing it in the years to come,” added Nurkic.
Under contract up to the end of the 2025-26 season, the Zivinice native was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Hornets in February. After 8.6 points per game, he fell out of the Suns‘ rotation. Bouncing back with the Hornets, he tallied 9.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest over 26 appearances.