Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was impressed by Nikola Vucevic’s high-level play/leadership this past regular season (averaged 18.5 PPG/10.1 RPG/3.5 APG/0.8 SPG/0.7 BPG/53.0% FG/40.2% 3-PT/80.5% FT in 73 games played).
*set career-highs for field goal and three-point percentage*
(via Optimistic Bulls Fan):
“I’ve got such respect for him, because I think that, and he probably referenced it a little bit during the trade deadline: I think it was a lot. It is just a lot. It’s the idea of, ‘OK, I could be moving and picking up.’ And for Vooch — he’s married — he’s got three young kids. There’s a lot of things that go on into that, right? And when it didn’t happen, I give him a lot of credit for totally investing into the team and trying to do everything he could to help the group and help the young guys. He has had a spectacular year, and it speaks to his greatness as a player.
“We were obviously much slower the last couple years, and he functioned totally fine in the half-court with his numbers and what he did. And then all of a sudden we’re playing a lot faster, and he’s having another great year. He’s just a heck of a player. He’s really smart. He keeps himself in great shape. I think he was a big catalyst with Coby [White] and the voice of those guys really every day putting their best foot forward as leaders. Vooch is a major part of that.”
