Photo Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

Jusuf Nurkic Was Discovered Because His Dad, A 7ft, 400-Pound Cop, Beat 14 People In A Fight

Yesterday, the Portland Trail Blazers revealed that Jusuf Nurkic will make his long-awaited comeback on March 15, almost one year after suffering a horrific leg injury.

Reading about his comeback, made me think back of how Jusuf Nurkic was discovered. It truly is one of the most amazing stories I have ever heard. 

Jusuf Nurkic was discovered because of his dad, Hariz Nurkic, who is a police officer in Bosnia. Hariz is a 7 footer and weighs over 400 pounds. When Jusuf Nurkic was 14-years old, Bosnian sports agent Enes Trnovcevic, read a story about his father and was intreagued:

Jusuf Nurkic’s dad is a policeman in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. One day a Bosnian sports agent Enes Trnovcevic was reading a newspaper where he read: “Bosnian policeman, Hariz Nurkic has beaten 14 people in a fight.” He knew what to do instantly! Next day he went to Tuzla and met with Nurkic’s father. The only thing he asked him was: “Do you have a son?” Jusuf Nurkic was at that time a 14 years old boy and never trained basketball. Enes Trnovcevic took him to Slovenia and gave him an opportunity he accepted and used.

A couple of years ago, Jusuf confirmed the general part of this story. We don’t know if his father really beat up 14 people at once, but I’d like to believe that he did.

”He looked at me, and I was normal sized, but he said, ‘That kid is going to be in the NBA. We all just smiled, because it was crazy.’’

Back then, Nurkic had never played basketball before. He did not know the least thing about the game, and couldn’t shoot either.

Nurkic though was intrigued after meeting Trnovcevic, so he got a coach who taught him all the basics. The rest is history, as you all know, Nurkic really ended up becoming an NBA player.

Sometimes in life, all it needs is a little luck, and your dad beating up 14 people at once.