Jusuf Nurkic set imaginations on fire following his trade to the Portland Trail Blazers last February. As the 2017-18 NBA season looms, “Nurk Fever” is starting to catch fire again, and not just in Portland. The Sporting News has tabbed Nurkic as a “Player to Watch” in the coming season.
Prior to his injury, Nurkic averaged 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in a Blazers uniform. He’d join an impressive list of players if he can sustain those numbers over the course of entire season, one including Hall of Famers such as David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, Karl Malone and Kevin Garnett.