CHICAGO — Nikola Vučević isn’t the loudest voice in the room. But ask anyone around the league, and they’ll tell you: the big man from Montenegro is one of the most skilled, thoughtful, and basketball-savvy players to lace up in today’s game.
In an exclusive sit-down, the Chicago Bulls center peeled back the curtain on his evolution as a player, his inspirations growing up, and what this current Bulls squad is building toward as the postseason nears.
From Podgorica to Pau, Dirk and Duncan: The Blueprint
Vučević’s game has long been defined by versatility — a center with the finesse of a guard and the IQ of a seasoned vet. That versatility? It started young.
“There were many, you know? A lot of players that played in ex-Yugoslavia,” Vučević shared. “I was a big Dirk fan growing up and I wanted to play like him. Later on, it was Marc Gasol and Pau Gasol — a lot of bigs that I felt like that I could try to take things away from and play like them; Tim Duncan was one too.”
Before he was banging in the paint and dropping dimes from the elbow, Vučević was actually bringing the ball up.
“With my passing, a lot of that came because, growing up I started off playing as a point guard because I wasn’t the tallest and then I played 1-4 and then got to the 5-spot actually, not until I was 18 when I was in high school. So, I think having to grow and go through that helped me develop different aspects of my game.”
League Pass Favorite? Centers Who Do It All
In today’s NBA, Vučević is part of a renaissance among skilled bigs. And when he’s not logging minutes at the United Center, he’s watching his peers carve up defenses in creative ways.
“Many of them obviously, the Joker. The way he plays is amazing,” Vučević said, tipping his cap to the reigning MVP Nikola Jokić. “KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns), he’s been playing great this season; I like Bam [Adebayo] and the way he plays the 4 and the 5 spot.”
There’s a fraternity of bigs doing work in the modern NBA — and Vučević’s respect for their craft runs deep.
Bulls’ Chemistry, Bulls’ Culture
This year’s Bulls haven’t always had a smooth ride. But the corner is being turned, and Vooch sees the roots of that shift taking hold.
“Our chemistry has really come together a lot and that’s helped a lot,” Vučević said. “And I think as the year went on, we started really buying into even more the way that the coaches want us to play and we’re building that comfort level, you know?”
Personnel changes meant an adjustment period — but now, the pieces are fitting.
“We had some new players come in and some guys leave so, that took a little bit of time for all of us to gel together and there was people that already bought in and we were all committed to playing the right way on both ends of the floor and it’s showing.”
The House MJ Built
Growing up in Europe, Michael Jordan’s mythology was very real. But now that Vučević calls Chicago home, he’s found himself even more immersed in the Bulls’ golden era.
“Oh for sure! Even before I came here, I always enjoyed coming here and playing here against the Bulls seeing all the banners, the jerseys retired,” he said. “But especially when I got here I really wanted to talk to people that have been here for a long time that have been around MJ and been around all these great players.”
Vučević came with questions. Lots of them.
“Talking about that period when he was here as the greatest in sports, in history and so, you want to learn as much as you can,” he explained. “That was really my thing — to ask people that were around, What was it like or what was it like around that time?”
The answers he got? Stories that stuck with him.
“I learned a lot. I mean, just more about that killer instinct that he had, how much he wanted to win, you know?”
And then came a dinner that turned into a moment of reflection.
“We had dinner with the owner earlier in the year and we spoke to Jerry [Reinsdorf] and we were at the same table as him and I asked him about MJ and things like that, so just a LOT of stories.”
A Big Man Built on Legacy and Vision
As the Bulls eye a playoff push, Vučević remains a steady presence — one who carries a European poise, a student-of-the-game approach, and a deep appreciation for the franchise’s past and future.
He doesn’t need to shout to make an impact. His game — and his words — say plenty.
