What Happened to Jusuf Nurkic? Suns’ Woes Deepen as 7-Foot Star Suffers Double Injury in Return vs Knicks

The injury bug has derailed the Phoenix Suns victory train. They have lost 4 straight games and only won 1 ever since Kevin Durant got injured. But it looks like it’s not just Durant. Jusuf Nurkic began the season with strong contributions in rebounding, playmaking, and rim protection, but his performance has dramatically declined. Since KD’s absence, the Bosnian Beast has struggled, with his play spiraling downward. But now the question isn’t even about his performance. It’s his ability to stay fit.

After the loss against the New York Knicks, Nurkic was speaking with Duane Rankin, beat writer for the Suns at The Arizona Republic. The Bosnian big man revealed that he has injured both his ankles now! He was initially out with a left ankle sprain. What’s more shocking is he doesn’t remember how he hurt his other ankle!

He said “It’s both ankles. It’s like you twist it a little bit here and there. Just keep playing and the other feels worse.” He was playing the sprain already and the back-to-back might have made it worse. “But, you know, I’m just trying to be out there for my teammates if I can. So try to be smart at the same time. So I feel like I will try to pick out poison which is better with us now but back to back was like tough and stuff.” he added.

Nurkic played 33 minutes in today’s game, in which he got 14 points, 3 assists and 12 rebounds. It was fifth double double this season, rising out the rut he was in. In his past four games, Nurkic had struggled, making just 3 of his 23 shots for a total of 12 points. And for updates on his injury, we’ll have to wait.

Jusuf Nurkic Stats 2024

Let’s dive into Jusuf Nurkic’s performance this season and compare it to his 2023-24 stats. Through his first 13 games of 2024-25, Nurkic is averaging 8.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.5 blocks in 23.7 minutes per game. His shooting has dipped significantly, with him hitting just 38.5% from the field and 26.3% from beyond the arc on 2.9 attempts per game​.

Last season, Nurkic was much more efficient, posting 10.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, and shooting 51% from the field​. This year, his field goal percentage has plummeted by over 12%, and although he’s still grabbing rebounds, his scoring has struggled.

Looking beyond the traditional stats, his advanced numbers are concerning. Nurkic has a negative-2.5 net rating, and his box score plus-minus of -6.4 is the worst among players with over 300 minutes played​. Compare that to last season, when he had a more positive impact on the court. His drop in efficiency and the negative advanced metrics are hard to ignore.

For the Suns, this performance raises concerns. If they’re looking for a reliable center to help push for a championship, Nurkic’s struggles are a major issue. With the numbers he’s putting up right now, Phoenix will need him to significantly improve if they hope to compete at a high level this season.